According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on the 30th, Samsung SDI has filed for and is in the process of securing a patent for a composite anode material. The patent, titled “Composite anode active material and anode and lithium secondary battery including the same,” was originally filed on July 10, 2020, and was published on March 24. It covers an anode material combining graphite with an average particle size (D50) of approximately 18μm or larger, graphite of around 10μm or larger, and a silicon-carbon composite. The technology focuses on enhancing structural stability and extending battery lifespan by densely filling the electrode with graphite particles of different sizes.

On the 25th at POSCO Center in Seoul, POSCO Future M signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kumho Petrochemical and BEI for the joint development of anode-free lithium metal battery technology. The anode-free lithium metal battery under development eliminates the use of an anode material, enabling a 30–50% increase in energy density by utilizing the additional space within the battery.

On March 23, Youngy Co., Ltd. issued an announcement stating that the company has approved a proposal to invest in the construction of an annual 50,000-ton high-performance lithium-ion battery anode material project, with a total fixed asset investment of approximately 1.1 billion yuan. The project will be implemented in Lanzhou New Area by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lanzhou Youngy Materials Technology Co., Ltd. Lanzhou Youngy Materials completed its industrial and commercial registration in December 2024. As early as May 2025, it signed a "State-Owned Construction Land Use Rights Transfer Contract" with the Lanzhou New Area Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, acquiring 208,451.60 square meters of industrial land in Lanzhou New Area for a transfer price of 49.77 million yuan.

POSCO Future M, the battery materials unit of South Korea's POSCO Holdings, announced that it had signed a supply agreement for artificial graphite anode material used in lithium-ion batteries. The contract is worth KRW 1,014,945,300,000 (approximately $675 million). The counterparty is a global automaker, and the contract term runs from October 1, 2027 to September 30, 2032.

Overall, supply in China’s petroleum coke market continued to tighten, while downstream demand remained generally stable with support, and supply and demand fundamentals provided two-way support to the market. Coupled with recent fluctuations in crude oil prices and intensified cost-side bargaining, SMM expected that in the short term, the petroleum coke market would mainly remain in consolidation, with prices of different categories continuing to diverge.

PTL announced that on March 11, 2026, the 15th meeting of the fourth board of directors of Shanghai Putailai New Energy Technology Group Co., Ltd. unanimously reviewed and approved the Proposal on Investing in the Construction of an Anode Material Production Site in Malaysia. Through its wholly owned overseas sub-subsidiary, Zichen Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., the company is expected to invest in the construction of a 50,000 mt/year lithium-ion battery anode material project in Malaysia, with a planned total investment of $297 million (or the equivalent in other currencies, approximately 2.051 billion yuan, subject to the actual investment amount and not exceeding $297 million).

[SMM Analysis] On March 12, 2026, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled against imposing tariffs on Chinese graphite imports. Below is the complete timeline of the US anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigations into active anode material (graphite anode) from China, the duty rates at each stage, and the latest results as of March 12, 2026.

This week，the solid-state battery industry showed a dual-engine momentum driven by "intensive breakthroughs on the technology front and targeted solutions on the policy front." CATL disclosed a sulphide patent, Zhongkeyuanben's 20Ah all-solid-state battery passed third-party detection, and Dreame Technology released a 450Wh/kg product; Guangdong took the lead in incorporating diversified solid-state battery technology routes and eVTOL scenarios into provincial-level action plans.

On March 11, Putailai disclosed an announcement regarding investing in the construction of an anode material production base in Malaysia. The project, to be undertaken by Zichen Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., involves the construction of an annual 50,000-ton lithium-ion battery anode material production facility, with a planned total investment of 297 million US dollars. The project aims to establish an international production capacity layout, deeply integrate into the global supply chain, serve customers locally, and meet the demands of downstream customers and the terminal market.

This week，the solid-state battery industry showed a dual-engine momentum driven by "intensive breakthroughs on the technology front and targeted solutions on the policy front." CATL disclosed a sulphide patent, Zhongkeyuanben's 20Ah all-solid-state battery passed third-party detection, and Dreame Technology released a 450Wh/kg product; Guangdong took the lead in incorporating diversified solid-state battery technology routes and eVTOL scenarios into provincial-level action plans.