Lithium refiner tests new cathode material

Advanced Battery Technology,  Jun 2001  

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Export News reports that in less than two years, Pacific Lithium of Auckland, New Zealand, has captured a significant share of the world market for lithium carbonate, sourcing lithium products from the U.S., refining the material at its Manukau plant, and exporting 100% of the production to lithium battery manufacturers. While growing its sales of this cathode material for rechargeable batteries, the company has been working on a second and potentially more lucrative technology for a new generation lithium battery cathode material.

Pacific Lithium is trial marketing the material, known as PL50, in conjunction with Asia battery manufacturers. The major difference between PL50 and other products on the market is its use of manganese cathode material instead of conventional cobalt-based material. The advantage of using manganese, says Dean Cooper, Pacific Lithium's executive vice president of business development, is that it is significantly cheaper to source, safer than cobalt, and performs equally well on measures of battery life, power density, and energy density.

The cost differential is due largely to the greater availability of manganese, one of the most common elements on earth. Cobalt is rarer and found in highest concentrations in "politically volatile" countries.

Cooper says that Asia will be the largest market for PL50 as it is home to many of the world's large battery manufacturers. "China is emerging rapidly," he stated. "Twelve months ago there were only 4-5 battery manufacturers in China; now there are 25-30. Equally, Taiwan and Korea are booming; that area of the world will be the hotbed for the industry in the next 4-5 years."

Cell phones are seen as the immediate market for PL50, but Pacific Lithium believes that in the long term its technologies could reduce the cost of rechargeable batteries enough to make electric-powered cars and electric/gasoline hybrid vehicles commercially viable.

The successful commercialization of PL50 technology will provide value-added opportunities in the more lucrative "assembly device" area of the battery industry, says Cooper. Pacific Lithium's U.S.-based company, Ilion Technology, is currently moving down this track by forming joint venture partnerships.

Founded in 1994, Pacific Lithium came to prominence in 1997 when it was granted an exclusive technology license from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to produce lithium manganese oxide cathode material. To advance the technology further, it formed an alliance with the National Research Council of Canada in 1999.

Copyright Seven Mountains Scientific, Inc. Jun 2001
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