Dual-Color Copper Foil Lights Up the Future: A Sidelight on the R&D of High-End Treated Foil by Central China Copper Industry

Four years ago, Central China Copper Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Copper Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Central China Copper"), successfully developed 6e-06-meter rolled copper foil, setting a new record for the thinnest rolled copper foil in China. Four years later, at the electronica China in Munich, the company launched red-coated and black-coated foils with high flexibility and corrosion resistance, becoming one of the highlights of the exhibition.

From thick copper strips to copper foils as thin as cicada wings, and from ordinary bare foils to high-end red-coated and black-coated foils, Central China Copper has carved out a unique path in product transformation and upgrading. From 2021 to 2024, the company's copper foil production and sales exceeded 2,000 mt for four consecutive years, and its copper foil business achieved profitability for five consecutive years.

Applying "Lipstick" on "Cicada Wings"

"Applying a uniform red coating on the surface of copper foil is like applying lipstick to a delicate cicada wing. Any slight misstep can result in color variations or peeling." Li Haifeng, a technician specializing in surface treatment, still vividly recalls the technical challenges faced during the initial trial production of red-coated foil.

In early 2020, while maintaining stable production of qualified bare foil, Central China Copper set its sights on high-value-added treated foils and began attempting to produce red-coated foil. During the initial trial production, issues such as frequent red spots, color variations, and inadequate oxidation resistance during the electroplating process led to a scrap rate of over 50%. Watching dozens of tons of foil material turn into "colorful" scrap in the plating tanks, the technicians felt both heartache and helplessness.

To overcome these challenges, the company's technical team members camped out by the production line day and night for several consecutive weeks. Their hard work paid off, as they finally identified the root cause of the problem: the instability of the electroplating solution formula and significant temperature fluctuations.

They redesigned the electroplating solution formula, added new-type additives to control fluctuations in metal ion concentration, installed an online high-precision real-time temperature monitoring system to enable real-time regulation of the electroplating solution, and innovated the "layer-by-layer current method" process to achieve denser and more uniform crystallization of the red coating. In May 2020, Central China Copper shipped its first batch of 10 mt of red-coated foil to domestic customers, and the product quality received customer recognition.

As one of the earliest companies in China to successfully develop red-coated foil, Central China Copper, after years of technological accumulation, now boasts product stability that far surpasses that of its peers. Its red-coated foil has become a sought-after product in the market, firmly occupying one-third of the market share and successfully entering the supply chain systems of top-tier enterprises in China's electronics industry.

Finding Light in the Darkness of Black Foil

With the consumer electronics industry moving towards lighter, thinner, and more flexible designs, the new energy sector entering a rapid development phase, and AI being widely applied across various industries, the market demand for black-coated foil has surged exponentially. Central China Copper Industry closely followed market changes and initiated R&D efforts for blackened foil in 2022.

If the R&D of red-coated foil could be described as a "tough battle mode," then the R&D of blackened foil was a "peak performance mode," requiring not only uniform coverage of the blackened layer but also ensuring that it would not peel off or oxidize during subsequent processing.

As the production technology for blackened foil had long been monopolized by Japanese companies, the R&D team of Central China Copper Industry had no process flows or technical parameters to refer to. At the beginning of trial production, the blackened foil produced frequently had issues such as color differences in the coating, oxidation spots on the shiny surface, and insufficient adhesion leading to powder shedding. "At that time, it was like being trapped in an endless darkness, with no light in sight," sighed Qiao Yafeng, the head of the R&D team.

To break the deadlock as soon as possible, Central China Copper Industry collaborated with the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and Chalco Academy on industry-university-research cooperation, with the latter providing experimental data support, while the R&D team of Central China Copper Industry was responsible for industrial transformation and verification.

However, reality once again poured cold water on everyone. The blackened foil samples trial-produced in the laboratory had excellent indicators, but various issues arose after transferring to the production line. Qiao Yafeng led the team to re-examine over 100 sets of production process data and verify them one by one. After thousands of tests and continuous efforts over hundreds of days and nights, they finally saw the "dawn" of victory. In April 2023, Central China Copper Industry successfully trial-produced blackened foil on its production line, achieving a key leap from laboratory to mass production; in June 2023, the first batch of blackened foil officially passed domestic customer certification; in 2024, small-batch deliveries of blackened foil were made, with positive customer feedback.

Capacity Expansion Opens Up New Growth Poles

In May, the project construction of Central China Copper Industry entered a "golden period," with the company's new copper foil surface treatment unit project accelerating and scheduled for equipment installation in October and commissioning and production before the end of the year. As a key investment project for Central China Copper Industry in 2025, this project is of great significance for adjusting the product structure of copper foil and forming new profit growth points.

Differentiated development of special copper foil products such as red-coated foil, blackened foil, and alloy foil to achieve import substitution of high-end products is the future development direction of Central China Copper Industry's copper foil products. Currently, constrained by the treatment line, the company's production capacity for high value-added treated foil is severely limited, making the addition of a new copper foil surface treatment unit imperative.

The new copper foil surface treatment unit adopts domestically leading production processes and equipment, capable of producing high-quality, high-performance red-coated foil, blackened foil, and alloy foil. The intelligent design of this unit not only improves production efficiency but also ensures product stability and consistency. In addition, Central China Copper prioritizes environmental protection and sustainable development. The project has introduced a new zero-liquid-discharge wastewater system to achieve green production.

The completion and commissioning of the new copper foil surface treatment unit will bring significant economic benefits to Central China Copper, with the annual capacity of high value-added copper foil expected to increase by over 40%.

Qiao Yafeng stated, "The construction of the new copper foil surface treatment unit is an important step for Central China Copper to deepen its strategic layout in the copper foil product sector. We will take this as an opportunity to further optimize the product structure of copper foil, enhance our core market competitiveness, and position the company as a leading enterprise in the copper foil industry."

"Leading development with 'strip' and securing the future with 'foil'." Moving forward, Central China Copper will continue to delve deeper into the copper foil sector, continuously improving product quality and service levels, and propelling the company towards the high-end of the copper processing industry chain. We will strive unremittingly to build a national high-end copper-based new material base and contribute to the construction of a "new Chalco" with exceptional material capabilities.

SMM

Dual-Color Copper Foil Lights Up the Future: A Sidelight on the R&D of High-End Treated Foil by Central China Copper Industry

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