Electrolyte leader Tianci Materials’ subsidiary sues its former chief engineer, claiming that technologies such as “liquid lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6)” were stolen! It demands compensation of 14.72 billion yuan from multiple parties.

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Electrolyte leader Tianci Materials’ subsidiary sues former chief engineer, claiming “liquid hexafluorophosphate lithium” and other technologies were stolen! Demands compensation of 1.47B yuan, revealing that some companies have already applied the related technologies to projects.

Red Star Capital Bureau, April 2 — Today, electrolyte leader Tianci Materials (002709.SZ) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Jiujiang Tianci High-tech Materials Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Jiujiang Tianci”)’s former chief engineer Li used improper means to obtain trade secrets, and other related companies have applied the relevant technologies to projects.

In response, Jiujiang Tianci filed a lawsuit, demanding multiple defendants jointly compensate economic losses of 1.47B yuan, and publish apologies in newspapers.

On April 2, a Tianci Materials staff member told Red Star Capital Bureau that the case has been filed and accepted, but they have not yet received official notification and do not know the specific court hearing schedule.

Jiujiang Tianci sues former chief engineer

Demands multiple defendants jointly pay 1.47B yuan

On April 2, Tianci Materials announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Jiujiang Tianci filed a civil lawsuit with the Guangdong Higher People’s Court over a trade secret infringement dispute, which has recently accepted the case.

The announcement states that Jiujiang Tianci owns industrialized technology for producing liquid hexafluorophosphate lithium, liquid difluorosulfonimide lithium, as well as related production line design, manufacturing equipment, and all technical information necessary for the construction and operation of the entire production line. To protect trade secrets, Jiujiang Tianci has established a comprehensive confidentiality management system and measures.

On August 23, 2017, Li entered Jiujiang Tianci for work, signing an “Employment Contract,” “Trade Secret and Non-Compete Agreement,” and other documents. He served successively as Process Technology Director and Chief Engineer of the battery production department, and left Jiujiang Tianci on May 20, 2021.

Tianci Materials stated in the announcement that Li obtained Jiujiang Tianci’s trade secrets—liquid hexafluorophosphate lithium industrialization technology and liquid difluorosulfonimide lithium industrialization technology—by theft, illegal copying, and other improper means. Several other defendants illegally obtained these trade secrets from Li through improper means and applied them in projects carried out by Zhejiang Yan Yi New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Yan Yi New Energy”), also illegally disclosing Jiujiang Tianci’s trade secrets through patent applications and other means.

Jiujiang Tianci believes that Li, Yan Yi New Energy, and ten other defendants are objectively connected, cooperate with each other, and divide tasks, with clear intent to infringe and common purpose, collectively committing the infringement of the plaintiff’s trade secrets, and should bear joint and several liability.

Jiujiang Tianci’s lawsuit requests include: immediate cessation of infringement; destruction of related production line equipment and process materials; destruction of devices containing trade secrets, such as computers, storage disks, paper and electronic process documents; and joint compensation of 1.47B yuan, along with publication of apologies.

The claimed compensation of 1.47B yuan exceeds Tianci Materials’ net profit for 2025

Relevant staff: case already filed and accepted

On April 2, Red Star Capital Bureau called Tianci Materials’ securities department as a retail investor. A staff member said the case has been filed and accepted, but they have not received official notification and do not know the specific court hearing date.

The staff also mentioned that employees in key positions generally sign confidentiality agreements upon departure.

Tianci Materials stated in the announcement that Jiujiang Tianci’s claim for damages in the trade secret infringement case is unlikely to directly impact its current profit and loss. Since the case has not yet gone to court, whether the lawsuit claims will be supported remains uncertain. It is also possible that a settlement or mediation may be reached during the process, and the impact on the company’s future profits cannot be determined at this time.

Red Star Capital Bureau notes that the claimed compensation of 1.47B yuan is already more than Tianci Materials’ net profit for the past year. Financial reports show that in 2025, Tianci Materials’ revenue is approximately 16.65 billion yuan, up 33% year-over-year; net profit is about 1.36B yuan, up approximately 181.43%.

On April 2, Tianci Materials’ closing price was 44.81 yuan per share, with a total market value of about 91.35 billion yuan.

Additionally, on April 2, Red Star Capital Bureau called the defendant—Yan Yi New Energy—via the phone number listed in business registration information, but no one answered.

(This article does not constitute any investment advice; operate at your own risk.)