Japanese chemicals group Asahi Kasei has signed a non-exclusive licence agreement allowing HighChem Shanghai to manufacture and sell its acetonitrile-containing Acetolyte electrolyte in China. The agreement is Asahi Kasei’s first licence for the electrolyte technology in China. Asahi Kasei said Acetolyte’s high ionic conductivity could increase lithium-ion battery power output at low temperatures while improving durability at high temperatures. Osamu Matsuzaki, senior executive officer of Asahi Kasei and head of corporate R&D, said: “We have steadily expanded the Acetolyte business through licensing partnerships in Europe. Photo: Yuichi Taka of HighChem, Yueyuan Long of HighChem Shanghai, and Osamu Matsuzaki and Yuto Iizuka of Asahi Kasei at Asahi Kasei’s headquartersCredit: Asahi Kasei