LG Chem starts mass production of single-crystal cathodes for first time

[Courtesy of LG Chem]

SEOUL -- South Korean battery maker LG Chem has started the mass production of single-crystal cathodes for high-performance batteries for the first time. The electrode made with high-nickel material can increase the lifespan of batteries by up to 30 percent, according to the battery maker.
 
Normally, electrodes used in batteries consist of multiple crystal structures of metallic materials. When a battery undergoes the charge and discharge process repeatedly, cracks inside the crystalline structure widen, creating gas in the gaps. Such a process reduces the durability of the battery.
 
When single-crystal electrodes are used, the battery's durability will be increased by up to 30 percent and stability will also be improved. By using single-crystal electrodes, batteries can expect about a 10 percent improvement in the total capacity.
 
LG Chem said that the company started the mass production of high-nickel single-crystal cathodes at a plant in Cheongju some 115 kilometers (71 miles) south of Seoul this month. This is the first time for a South Korean battery maker to mass-produce single-crystal electrodes.
 
According to the battery maker, LG Chem will expand the production line to its plant located in the southern industrial city of Gumi by 2027 and have a total annual production capacity of more than 50,000 tons.
 
"High-nickel single-crystal cathodes are the game-changing innovation and key that would solve the pain point of our customers," LG Chem's Vice Chairman Shin Hak-cheol said in a statement on June 26.