South Korea’s LG Chem will begin mass production of precursor-free cathode materials in the first half of this year.
The materials will be produced by directly calcinating custom-designed metals without precursors, which the firm says will improve power performance at low temperatures and shorten development time. Eliminating the need to expand precursor production capabilities also promises reductions in wastewater and carbon footprints.
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According to James Frith, principal at VC firm Volta Energy Technologies, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) production in China involves the use of iron sulphate, a waste product from titanium dioxide refining and “something that is virtually free in China”. In contrast, western battery materials needing to produce iron sulphate must react iron fillings with sulfuric acid.
“This increases cost and complexity of LFP production outside of China,” says Frith. “I expect that LG Chem's ‘precursor-free’ LFP makes LFP production outside of China cheaper than would otherwise be the case and makes the supply chain more resilient, without having to produce iron sulphate or source it from China.”
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