Nano One Patents new Durable Cobalt-Free Battery Material

Nano One has been issued a Taiwanese patent relating to lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO) cathode material, that eliminates cobalt from the battery

Nano One Materials Corp, a firm that is involved in developing patented technology for the low-cost production of high-performance lithium-ion battery cathode materials used in electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage and consumer electronics has announced that it has been issued a Taiwanese patent number I672852 relating to lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO) cathode material, also known as high voltage spinel (HVS).

In addition to the increased durability shown in the figure, Nano One’s LNMO also eliminates cobalt from the battery, thereby addressing the ethical and supply chain issues related to artisanal cobalt mining in Africa for use in lithium-ion batteries.

Dr. Stephen Campbell, Chief Technology Officer at Nano One said that this addition to Nano One’s patent portfolio is an important, low-cost durability improvement to LNMO.

“This material operates at high voltage with fast rates of charge and discharge, compared to other cathode materials. Our technology treats the surface of the discrete cathode crystals and it mitigates instabilities common to spinels including LNMO and enables elevated operating temperatures that are typical in electric vehicle batteries.”

This represents the sixteenth patent in Nano One’s IP portfolio which extends to the US, Canada, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

The firms’ processing technology enables lower-cost feedstocks, simplifies production and advances performance for a wide range of cathode materials. It has built a demonstration pilot plant and is partnering with global leaders in the lithium-ion battery supply chain, including Pulead, Volkswagen and Saint-Gobain to advance its lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNM) cathode technologies for large growth opportunities in e-mobility and renewable energy storage applications.

Nano One’s pilot and partnership activities are being funded with the assistance and support of the Government of Canada through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program (ASIP) a program of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). The firm also receives financial support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).