UBE Corporation has made a decisive move into next-generation advanced materials, announcing an investment in South Korean startup CheomdanLab to accelerate production of high-performance silicon nitride.
CheomdanLab, based in Gwangju Metropolitan City, develops and manufactures silicon nitride powder and ceramic balls using its proprietary sintered-after-reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SRBSN) technology. The breakthrough process recycles and upcycles silicon waste from semiconductor and other industries, transforming it into silicon nitride with significantly lower energy use and cost.
The timing is strategic. Silicon nitride ceramic balls are increasingly vital in electric vehicles, energy systems, and machine tools — applications that demand extreme reliability under high-speed rotation and high-temperature conditions. Demand is climbing rapidly, particularly in the EV market, where silicon nitride bearings help prevent electrical corrosion, a growing industry challenge.
Under its research and development policy of "establishing technologies that are the source of competitive advantage through open innovation," UBE is working to create new specialty businesses.
CheomdanLab's technology to manufacture silicon nitride through recycling/upcycling silicon waste, which is aimed at social implementation, will contribute to creating a sustainable supply chain for advanced materials.
Through the investment, UBE will back CheomdanLab’s efforts to scale mass production and accelerate commercialization, positioning both companies for long-term growth while strengthening their business foundations.
The move also reinforces UBE’s broader environmental strategy. The UBE Group addresses global environmental issues by striving to reduce GHG emissions and pursuing the development and practical application of environmentally friendly products and technologies.
By expanding access to environmentally friendly products, technologies, and solutions, the company aims to help society advance toward carbon neutrality — in line with its 2030 vision to be "a corporate group centered on specialty chemicals that contributes to the global environment, human health, and an enriched future society."
Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), an inorganic compound of silicon and nitrogen, is prized for its exceptional high-temperature strength and resistance to wear and corrosion. It is widely used in semiconductors, automobiles, and wind power generation.
