Semi-solid state battery key materials, market changes

Entering the year 2026, zirconium, a seemingly niche metal element, is gradually stabilizing in price due to new changes in supply and demand. At the beginning of 2026, a policy added a new variable to the zirconium market. On January 6th, the Ministry of Commerce issued a notice strengthening export controls on dual-use items to Japan, explicitly prohibiting the export of key materials including yttrium oxide, zirconium, and their alloys to Japanese military users and related fields. Facing this market opportunity, domestic leading enterprises such as Oriental Zirconium and Srx Materials are actively laying out their strategies. 2026 is considered the first year of large-scale production of semi-solid state batteries in the industry. Zirconium-based materials are crucial raw materials for oxide and halide electrolytes. In the semi-solid state oxide route, LLZO technology is mature; while in the solid-state halide route, zirconium-based materials offer the lowest cost path, further highlighting the strategic position of zirconium resources.