At a glance

Item Detail
Name Lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6)
CAS No. 21324-40-3
Appearance White crystalline powder
Typical purity Battery grade is often labeled ≥ 99.9%
Main uses Electrolyte salt in lithium-ion battery electrolytes (the most widely used lithium salt)
Statistics code HS 2826.90-4000 "fluorophosphates" (a code that also covers fluorophosphates other than LiPF6)
China-origin imports into Korea (last 12 months) USD 55,315,135 / 3,995,783 kg
Prior 12 months USD 23,985,276 / 2,887,609 kg
Growth Value +130.6%, weight +38.4%

Material overview

LiPF6 is the electrolyte salt that carries lithium ions in lithium-ion battery electrolytes. It is normally dissolved in carbonate-based organic solvents to make the electrolyte. Because of its balance of ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, and electrode-surface film formation, it is known as the most widely used lithium salt today.

It is typically a white crystalline powder, and battery grade is often labeled at ≥ 99.9% purity (for example, the Fastmarkets price item "battery grade, ≥99.9%"). Key quality indicators when buying are:

  • Purity — main-component content
  • Moisture — LiPF6 is extremely moisture-sensitive, so this is one of the most important indicators
  • Free acid (as HF) — an indicator of the HF content generated by hydrolysis
  • Metal impurities (Na, K, Fe, Ca, etc.), insolubles, and color

Specific specification values depend on the customer's electrolyte spec and the supplier's COA, so this article does not give arbitrary figures.

Applications by industry

  1. EV battery electrolytes — a core salt in NCM, LFP and other lithium-ion battery electrolytes.
  2. ESS (energy storage system) batteries — Chinese reports repeatedly cite ESS demand as a main driver of growth in electrolyte and LiPF6 demand.
  3. Small-format cells (IT devices, etc.) — used in electrolytes for mobile and laptop cells.
  4. Research and test electrolyte preparation — also distributed in small reagent-grade quantities.

Storage & handling

LiPF6 reacts with moisture and decomposes, and this process can generate corrosive, toxic substances such as hydrogen fluoride (HF) (generally known chemical behavior). Opening and weighing should therefore be done in a dry environment such as a dry room or glove box, and packaging condition and opening history should be checked. High moisture or free-acid content can affect electrolyte quality and cell performance, so at receiving inspection it is safer to agree on re-testing after arrival in addition to reviewing the COA.

Store sealed in a dry, cool place; inert-gas (nitrogen or argon) filled packaging is generally required. Packaging format and material differ by supplier, so confirm them at the quotation stage. Keep it away from incompatible materials such as metals and alkalis, and reflect protective equipment and first-aid procedures for HF exposure in site safety rules in line with the SDS.

Hazard and transport classification — Several supplier SDSs and product pages (TCI, Fluorochem, Ereztech) list UN 2923, corrosive solid, toxic, n.o.s. (CORROSIVE SOLID, TOXIC, N.O.S.), Class 8 (subsidiary risk 6.1), packing group II. The Molbase information page, however, lists UN 3260, Class 8, so check against Section 14 of the SDS for the actual product being shipped and the applicable regulations (IMDG, IATA, domestic hazardous-materials rules). Electrolyte solutions may fall under other classes, such as flammable liquids, because of the solvent, and must not be handled under the same UN number as the powder.

Market outlook

Korea import trend (Korea Customs Service, China origin) — Based on HS 2826.90-4000 "fluorophosphates" in the Korea Customs Service import/export trade statistics. This is a product category that also groups fluorophosphates other than LiPF6, so LiPF6 is presumed to account for most of it, but the exact share cannot be stated. Monthly values are rounded to thousand USD, and unit price is value divided by weight.

Month Import value (thousand USD, approx.) Weight (kg) USD per kg
2025.10 1,922 254,746 7.55
2025.11 1,981 226,823 8.73
2025.12 4,086 277,103 14.75
2026.01 2,368 200,106 11.84
2026.02 5,458 335,859 16.25
2026.03 10,520 742,341 14.17
2026.04 2,358 162,814 14.48
2026.05 4,830 327,008 14.77
2026.06 5,129 343,474 14.93
2026.07 5,608 386,662 14.50
2026.08 5,966 390,823 15.27
2026.09 5,089 348,024 14.62
Total 55,315 3,995,783 approx. 13.8
  • Value +130.6% vs weight +38.4% — value growing far faster than weight means the unit price per kg rose sharply. The 12-month average unit price rose from about USD 8.3/kg in the prior 12 months to about USD 13.8/kg, roughly +67% (calculated from the data).
  • Step-up in unit price — it was around USD 7–9/kg in October–November 2025, jumped to USD 14.75/kg in December 2025, and then stayed in a USD 11.8–16.3/kg range through September 2026 (mostly USD 14–15/kg).
  • Volume also up — March 2026 recorded 742 tonnes in a single month, the 12-month high. May–September 2026 ran at 330–390 tonnes per month, higher than the 100–360 tonnes per month of the prior 12 months.
  • Interpretation caveat — these unit prices are customs-declaration averages, affected by grade, packaging, contract timing, and other fluorophosphates grouped under the same HS code. Do not compare them directly with the price of a specific transaction.

Background to the unit-price rise (confirmed scope) — The following facts are confirmed in China market reports. How much of these factors is reflected in Korea's import unit prices cannot be determined from these statistics alone.

  1. Q4 2025 price surge in China — A report citing Wind data said LiPF6 rose about 99%, from RMB 61,000/t to RMB 121,500/t, between 1 Oct and 7 Nov 2025, attributing it to new-energy-vehicle and ESS demand and tight supply from the delayed return of small and mid-sized capacity. There are also reports that it briefly reached RMB 180,000/t in December 2025.
  2. Q1 2026 correction — SMM analyzed that in January 2026, despite rising costs, weak demand pushed LiPF6 volume and price down together. ESS demand was solid, but weak power-battery demand and downstream destocking offset it.
  3. Rebound in May 2026 — A Cailian Press report of 20 May said the average market price rose more than 12% in a week to RMB 113,500/t. Reasons given were high raw-material prices such as lithium carbonate and hydrofluoric acid (HF), growing overseas utility-scale and commercial ESS demand, downstream shifting to restocking, and low inventory after low-cost plants shut down (industry stock of about one week).
  4. ESS demand expansion — A summary citing a Huatai Securities note (dated 21 Aug 2026, based on a secondary summary) said electrolyte sales in H1 2026 rose about 41% year on year and ESS electrolyte more than doubled. ChemAnalyst (4 Sep 2026) reported that China LiPF6 prices rose about 6.7% in late August, citing strong battery demand and tighter supply (based on the headline and search summary; access to the full text was limited).
  5. Change in China export VAT rebates (single-source report, needs verification) — China adjusted export VAT rebates for many items from 1 Apr 2026, and some reports mention cancellation of the LiPF6 rebate. The original item list could not be confirmed, so whether LiPF6 is covered is not asserted. This is general information, not legal advice.

Recent export trend — Citing China Customs data, SMM (20 Oct 2026) reported that China's LiPF6 exports in September 2026 were 938.5 tonnes, down about 17% month on month and about 30.5% year on year. The top destination was Korea (375 tonnes, about +30% month on month, roughly 40% of the total), followed by Poland, Hungary, and the United States. The report did not state a cause for the decline.

Why Korea's import unit price stayed at USD 14–16/kg even during China's domestic correction in Q1 2026 (contract timing lags, grade mix, changes in composition within the HS code, etc.) could not be confirmed from this material. China price levels for September–November also could not be confirmed in this research.

Note for procurement teams

Checklist

Item to check Why
Purity, moisture, free acid (HF) specs Directly tied to electrolyte quality; state test method (KF, etc.) and limits on the COA
Metal impurities Affects cell performance and safety
Packaging format Inert-gas filling, container material, split sizes matched to single-opening usage
Hazmat documents SDS Section 14 UN number and packing group; whether air or sea transport is possible
Shelf life and lot traceability Guards against quality loss from moisture uptake
Customs code description HS 2826.90-4000 also includes other fluorophosphates, so state the product name and CAS 21324-40-3 clearly
Price terms China prices swing widely, so check quotation validity and price-adjustment terms

COA checklist — purity, moisture (KF), free acid (as HF), metal impurities (Na, K, Fe, Ca, etc.), insolubles, color, and test methods with limits.

Practical tips — it is safer to re-measure moisture and HF on a small sample before placing the main order. In periods of sharp price moves, agree on a monthly price formula (indexed basis) or shorter validity terms.

TKNCO takes sourcing inquiries for lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6, CAS 21324-40-3). Send the product name or CAS number and we confirm sourcing feasibility within 48 hours; any shipment comes with the manufacturer's lot-by-lot COA.

This brief summarizes Korea Customs Service import/export trade statistics and the public sources below for general information and does not guarantee contract prices at any given time. Always check the supplier's COA and SDS for actual purchasing and transport.

References