Manufacturing Cost Reduction Strategies for High-Performance Metal Oxide Cathode Materials

Broad commercialization and adoption of battery electric drive vehicles (BEVs) requires development of electrochemical storage technologies that can deliver high specific energy that meet market driving range targets while providing requisite power, cycle and calendar life at competitive cost. Li-ion batteries employing high-Ni-content lithium transition metal oxide cathode have emerged as the only near-term option for achieving performance requirements, but they have a critical vulnerability in that these cathode materials come at high cost. CAMX Power proposes to substantially reduce the cost of the high-performance lithium mixed metal oxide cathode materials capable of meeting EV performance targets by: (1) minimizing the content of expensive and price-volatile cobalt and (2) improving manufacturing throughput via substantial reduction in calcination time. In the Phase I project, we will demonstrate the impact of reduction of calcination times on material performance and cycle life for high performance ultra-low cobalt lithium mixed metal oxide cathodes that can deliver > 210 mAh/g with > 80% capacity retention after 1000 cycles. Best-performing materials will be implemented in 200+mAh cells and tested against DOE EV capacity and life targets. We will also estimate the cost reduction potential both in raw materials costs due to reduced Co content and in processing costs due to higher throughput calcinations, and will identify additional pathways for further processing cost reduction. The proposed technology will facilitate widespread commercialization and adoption of EVs by reducing both materials and process costs in the production of li-ion cathodes, leading to lower cost batteries for EVs. Rapid, widespread adoption of EVs can significantly reduce US gasoline consumption and CO2 emissions, thus yielding reduction of the nation’s dependence on imported petroleum, reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions and air pollution, and conservation of petrochemical feedstock.