Lithium-ion battery technology is currently the most promising energy storage medium for mobile electronics and electric vehicles. The most commonly used cathode material in these batteries is LiCoO₂, which is effective but costly, somewhat toxic, and has lower than desired electrochemical capacity.

Researchers at Colorado State University have engineered an enhanced cathode material that substitutes the majority of the cobalt in LiCoO₂ with a combination of manganese and nickel, which lowers the cost by using less expensive components and a simpler synthesis method while maintaining excellent capacity. In addition, the researchers have developed metal oxide coating techniques that further enhance the performance of these cathodes by decreasing Irreversible Capacity Loss (ICL) and increasing their charge capacity and safety characteristics.

Unlike most battery technologies emerging from universities, this invention may be immediately inserted into existing lithium-ion battery architectures. In laboratory conditions, batteries utilizing this new Li_wNi_xMn_yCo_zO₂ cathode material have displayed extremely high capacities (248.2 mAh/g in the voltage range of 4.6-2.0 V) at a material cost of $1.49/Ah for the cathode, which is a significantly lower price than that for LiCoO₂ due to the low cobalt content. Furthermore, these properties may be further optimized by fine-tuning of the exact cathode composition and use of dopants and surface coatings.

The Li_wNi_xMn_yCo_zO₂ cathode material is clearly superior to conventional materials in the laboratory and is ready to be integrated into existing lithium-ion batteries and tested at scale. Contact us to learn more about commercial licensing opportunities.

Features and Benefits
• Precise composition of Li_wNi_xMn_yCo_zO₂ cathode material with metal oxide surface coating for lithium-ion batteries.
• Can be integrated into conventional battery architectures based on LiCoO₂ cathodes.
• Excellent charge capacity (248.2 mAh/g between 4.6-2.0 V), decreased ICL, and improved safety and toxicity.
• Decreased cobalt content and simpler synthesis lower materials costs while improving safety and performance.
• Advantages have been demonstrated in laboratory setting – ready for scale up.

File Number: 10-081 

Other Information: Inventor Information:
Venkatesan Manivannan
Madhu Chennabasappa
Josh Garrett

Patent Information:
US Patent Pending

Contact:
Jeremy Nelson, Ph.D.
Director, Licensing & Business Development