LS Cable & System has begun to develop and commercialize a new material for copper foil, expanding its eco-friendly materials business along with LS Eco Energy's entry into the rare earth business.
LS Cable & System announced on December 20 that it has developed CuFlakeTM, a new copper material for copper foil. It is the world's first case of commercializing copper flakes instead of copper wires as raw materials for Copper Foil.
CuFlakeTM reduces the processing of raw materials in the manufacturing process of copper foil, significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
"We recently completed sample tests with a copper foil manufacturer," said an official from LS Cable & System. "We expect to start commercialization as early as next year, generating annual sales of more than 100 billion won."
Copper wire is made through a four- to five-step process of cleaning and removing impurities from scrap (metal shavings). In comparison, CuFlakeTM melts the scrap, removes impurities, and shapes it into flakes that can be used directly for copper foil manufacturing.
It also solves the problem of scrap supply and demand, as lower grades can be used, unlike copper wire, which uses only the highest quality scrap.
"LS Cable & System has been researching copper and aluminum, the main raw materials for cables, for more than 60 years and has the world's best metal processing technology," said a company spokesperson. "We plan to expand our eco-friendly materials business, including copper foil materials, rare earths, and aluminum parts for EVs."
