R&I Korea is contributing to research in the spirit of an explorer who explores scientific breakthroughs for “Advancing Humanity”. By combining innovative and challenging ideas of excellent talents around the world, we are moving forward as a group engine that provides differentiated and valuable innovations to solve the future major tasks of human beings directly related to the lack of resources, climate change and quality of life..
As of 2024, Battery/Electrical Electronics/Green Hydrogen/Coating/Skincare/Analytical laboratories are in operation, with about 50 researchers on duty. Areas of expertise include new material development, application testing, process development, customer-oriented solution provision, and future core technology research and development. To enable such research activities, our research center provides the best facilities and contributes to the group's business growth by improving laboratory capabilities.
Thanks to its location at the heart of geographically superior universities, we are pursuing open innovation through cooperation with various research institutes, and strengthening cooperation through close exchanges with customers. Employees from various business divisions are located together at the Syensqo Research Center, which enables cooperation between research and business teams to create sustainable common value.
Our research center, which opened in a strategic partnership with Ewha Womans University in June 2014 in the University-Industry Cooperation Building, has a common goal with the university: to foster the next generation of female scientists and conduct high-quality research activities. This commitment has been expressed with the support for outstanding female talents at Ewha Womans University through a scholarship program that has been implemented since 2012. Also, we aim to find innovative and sustainable solutions for humanity by running industry-academia collaborative technology projects. Our research center, which was spun off from Solvay Group in December 2023, would like to present a vision to promise further strengthened industry-academia cooperation with Ewha Womans University.
Battery Platform Labs
Ingredients for High Energy Batteries team
Our research team is responsible for developing electrolytes and electrolyte ingredients used in Li-ion and Li-metal batteries within the group. We are contributing to the rapidly growing next-generation battery industry by developing electrolytes using innovative fluorine-based solvents and additives that are differentiated from existing electrolyte technologies. With these innovative materials, we are collaborating with various automobile and battery companies around the world to innovate batteries.
Fast Prototyping team
The role of the Fast Prototyping team is to identify the value of Syensqo materials in the customer-aligned battery system. Our main activities are; Evaluation of R&D materials with polymer binders at the customer angle (Pilot scale); Fabrication and evaluation of real battery test cell with ~ 1Ah for technical supporting; Validation of commercial PVDF products for better business opportunities; and Collaboration with various stakeholders for the battery material development.
GHP (Green Hydrogen Platform) Lab
Our research team aims to drive the green hydrogen economy forward by providing solutions based on our specialty materials and intimately collaborating with customers. To make it happen, the GHP platform covers the scope of hydrogen production, storage, and usage applications.
The GHP lab in Korea, provides technical packages to support our platform and customers. Among the critical technologies for the green hydrogen economy, we are focusing on the water electrolysis and the fuel cell applications with our expertise.
ADL (Application Development Lab) Ewha Lab
ADL Ewha is the core lab for microelectronics (photolithography/lamination) and new investment for the direct customer support team (injection molding) is in progress as a new R&R to serve all customer projects. We enable this by conducting business development in providing prototyping and testing (performance evaluation) and maintenance through failure analysis. With our cleanroom facility functioning as a key capability, we conduct micro-fabrication of electronics materials from formulation to fabrication and evaluation of test vehicles.
Novecare Coating Lab
Be the leading innovator and supplier of sustainable specialty chemical solutions that exceed our customer’s expectations.
The Novecare Coating Lab develops solutions for polymer dispersion used in the coating field, evaluates the physical properties of new products, and provides technical services to Asia and overseas. In accordance with the global roadmap, we are working on the development of new emulsifiers and additives used in emulsion resins, and are also developing functional monomers and evaluating physical properties that can contribute to the waterization of oil-based products in response to environmental regulations.
Novecare HPC (Home and Personal Care) Lab
The Novecare HPC lab in Ewha focuses primarily on the development of new solutions for skin care; in line with market trends and Syensqo's ambitions on sustainability. The lab relies heavily on biotechnology to develop a wide array of products for our customers. These products include new active ingredients, rheological modifiers, texturing agents, various easy-to-use formulations, and many others. Moreover, we provide technical support for local customers & tollers; and also prepare prototypes using our products for promotion purposes.
Analytical Lab
The Analytical Lab is aiming to be the differentiating enabler of success, creating more value for the Group through competitive and well-aligned competencies, working in close partnership with GBUs, Platforms and RSO R&I teams in a problem-solving approach.
We provide, develop, renew, and share state-of-the-art capabilities to support our customers in their strategy of innovation and growth. At the same time, we respond efficiently to all Syensqo GBUs, Platforms and Corporate needs, with reliable and on-time results, competitively and cost-effectively to gain satisfaction and to establish true partnership relations.