Second-generation lithium manganese ferro phosphate (LMFP) cathode powder produced by Lithium Australia (ASX:LIT) subsidiary VSPC has met industry performance and physical property specifications.
“Lithium Australia has not only demonstrated its unprecedented ability to produce high performance LMFP (the next generation of energy-storage material) but has done so on schedule,” Lithium Australia managing director, Adrian Griffin, said.
“Potential customers can now access this advanced material for testing in commercial format lithium-ion cells. Meanwhile, Lithium Australia continues to evaluate commercial production opportunities in the most rapidly expanding battery markets globally, with a view to shortening supply chains and reducing the carbon footprint of battery production.”
VSPC Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lithium Australia, is a developer of advanced cathode powders for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
VSPC has conducted extensive research in order to develop LMFP, a high-capacity LIB cathode powder containing no nickel or cobalt. LMFP is a lower-cost and safer cathode material for applications requiring higher-energy density batteries, including electric vehicles (EVs) and large-scale stationary energy storage.
Both LFP- and LMFP-type LIBs are cheaper, safer and longer lasting than their NCA (lithium nickel cobalt aluminium) and NMC (lithium nickel manganese cobalt) battery counterparts.
It is the superior performance criteria of LFP and LMFP that have led to the market shift away from nickel-based LIB formulations, with market-leading battery and EV producer BYD phasing out nickel/cobalt-based batteries altogether in preference to LFP.
Mr Griffin said Tesla too, is transitioning to LFP for its Megapack grid-scale battery energy storage systems and low-range EVs, and VW’s entry-level EVs will also be LFP powered.
LMFP provides all the advantages of LFP plus greater energy density, which in EV terms equates not just to greater safety and longer life but also greater range. VSPC technology for second-generation LMFP VSPC produced its second-generation LMFP material using its recently developed and patented RC (reduced cost) process, as well as a cost-effective reagent regime.
The work was carried out at VSPC’s Brisbane, Queensland based pilot plant, which houses a fully equipped laboratory.
VSPC’s LFMP cathode material is available to both established battery manufacturers and other potential customers for testing, on schedule with previously released plans.
For further information please visit: https://lithium-au.com/
