Manufacturing and Storage Optimization of Ultralow-cobalt Cathodes for Electric Vehicle Batteries

Electric vehicles are approaching price and range performance targets that make them competitive against petroleum-driven internal combustion engines. Cathodes represent the largest cost component of lithium-based automotive batteries (lithium-ion batteries) and are still the limiting electrode for overall energy content. In addition, state-of-the-art cathode materials in vehicle batteries, such as Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2 and Li[Ni0.85Co0.10Al0.05]O2, utilize significant amounts of cobalt (12% and 6% by weight, respectively), a metal of high supply risks and geopolitical/ethical concerns that can lead to surging costs of vehicle batteries. Furthermore, the US manufacturing base for cathode materials is limited, with most production occurring in East Asia including China, Japan, and South Korea. TexPower, Inc., in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin, aims at developing ultralow- and cobalt-free cathode materials produced in the US for lithium-ion batteries. These materials possess significant benefits including higher energy content, low cobalt reliance and affordable price compared to state-of-the-art cathode materials. TexPower’s technology was developed at the University of Texas at Austin through funding from the Department of Energy over the last five years at an academic setting. The requested SBIR/STTR funding will allow TexPower scale laboratory processes for industrial production and fabrication. In phase I, TexPower and the University of Texas at Austin will optimize oxygen usage during lithiation calcination of their cathode materials to balance performance and cost at large- scale production. Additionally, formation of surface residual lithium compounds will be minimized to facilitate electrode fabrication and enhance safety during battery operation. Also, packaging options will be explored for reliable and low-cost materials shipment. The effects of these processes will be validated in large-format commercially relevant pouch full cells paired with graphite anodes (from 200 mAh to above 1 Ah). Since most battery cathode materials are currently produced overseas, a strong supply chain in the US will be an enormous driver for the growth of our economy, considering the increasing vehicle electrification in upcoming decades. Funding of this proposal will facilitate TexPower in becoming a robust domestic cathode manufacturing firm. Further, maturing of TexPower’s cathode technology with significantly less dependence on cobalt will accelerate the electric vehicle propulsion that reduces air pollution imprint caused by conventional combustion engines.