Cathode
materials, a key component of the lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that power our
digital devices and, increasingly, our hybrid and electric cars, are already produced
in large quantities in China. Cathode materials made in China can be found in
devices made by Samsung, LG, Sony, and many other brands. However, according to
China market intelligence firm CCM,
the market is about to undergo major changes in the coming years, as
newly-developed ternary cathode materials increasingly replace their mainstream
rivals.
Current
state of the cathode materials market in China
In China, both mainstream
cathode materials such as lithium cobaltate (LiCoO2), lithium
manganate (LiMn2O4) and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4),
and the newly-developing ternary cathode material, lithium nickel manganese
cobaltate (Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2), have achieved marketization.
LiCoO2:
Currently, the market is dominated by LiCoO2, which accounted for
more than 50% of the 48,000 tonnes of Li-ion battery cathode materials produced
in China in 2013. LiCoO2 is the preferred cathode material for
small-scale, high-energy-density Li-ion batteries used in high-end electronic
products both in China and worldwide. In recent years, Chinese-manufactured
LiCoO2 has been largely exported to South Korea-based Samsung Group,
South Korea-based LG Group (LG), Japan-based Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. and
Japan-based Sony Corporation, and a stable supply chain has taken shape.
However, LiCoO2
has two big disadvantages – high production costs due to scarce Co resources,
and a high level of toxicity, which can cause harmful environmental pollution.
For these reasons, downstream enterprises are demanding suitable substitutes
for LiCoO2, and it appears that LiCoO2 is already in
decline.
LiMn2O4:
LiMn2O4 is a more eco-friendly cathode material with key
advantages, such as low price, high electric potential and high safety levels.
At present, LiMn2O4 is mainly applied in medium- and
low-end electronic products. Overseas, especially in Japan and South Korea,
LiMn2O4 is mainly used in power Li-ion batteries. The first
Li-ion battery based on LiMn2O4 was launched in the early
1990s by Sony Corporation.
Nevertheless,
LiMn2O4-based batteries tend to have poor circulation
performance and their electrochemical performance degrades quickly. Manganese
dissolution is also a problem when batteries are operating at temperatures of
55℃ or above, making them unsuitable for many applications.
LiFePO4: As
China’s alternative energy vehicle industry has developed, the domestic power
Li-ion battery industry has increasingly been focusing its R&D efforts on
developing LiFePO4 as a cathode material. In this, China is clearly
following the US’ lead, where Valence Technology Inc. and A123 Systems, LLC have
already adopted LiFePO4 in power Li-ion batteries, but China is yet
to produce LiMn2O4 with fine circulation and storage
performance at high temperature suitable for application in a power Li-ion
battery.
Moreover, although
LiFePO4 is outstanding in its thermal stability, circulation
performance and security, it still has shortcomings of low specific volumetric
capacity and weak electrical conductivity.
Where
the market is heading: Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2 a promising solution
Clearly, each of
the mainstream cathode materials has its strengths and weaknesses. In recent
years, both domestic and overseas researchers for Li-ion battery cathode
materials have been making efforts to improve the performances of these three
materials by optimizing various technologies. Also, they are searching for new
cathode materials combining high security and high energy density with low
costs.
Ternary cathode
materials, such as Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2, have been widely recognized as one
of the most promising and potentially valuable cathode materials. According to CCM’s research, in order to conform to
the general industrial trend of developing ternary cathode materials, China has
done a great deal of research in synthetic technology, lattice doping, surface
coating and electrolyte modification with the aim of steadily advancing towards
the industrialization of ternary cathode materials.
Industry insiders
have informed CCM that although the market shares of ternary cathode materials are
currently limited, the low production cost and high energy density of these new
materials are so outstanding compared to other commercial cathode materials
that their market shares are certain to increase.
In particular, in
the field of power Li-ion batteries, the cathode materials targeted at LiMn2O4
and LiFePO4 will transit into hybrid materials of LiMn2O4/Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2
and LiFePO4/Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2 in the coming years. Finally, when
ternary cathode material preparation has matured and the relevant patent
applications have been processed, ternary cathode materials are expected to
become the mainstream cathode materials for power Li-ion batteries.
Meanwhile, China’s
National Standardization Technical Committee of Nonferrous Metals has begun the
process of producing a set of related industry standards for Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2.
The Standards for Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2
and the Method for Chemical
Analysis of Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2 are expected to be issued in the near
future. This will also help to further the development of China’s Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O2.
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This
article was provided by CCM, a leading provider of data and business
intelligence on China’s chemicals market. CCM has launched China Li-ion Battery E-News, a new e-journal dedicated to analyzing all
the latest news and trends in China’s Li-ion battery industry. For more
information on CCM and China Li-ion Battery E-News, please visit www.cnchemicals.com or contact econtact@cnchemicals.com
