Using Induction Melting to Make Lithium-Ion Battery Material

Lithium-ion batteries are an important enabling technology for electric vehicles. This article reports on a study in which an induction melting process was evaluated to produce LiFePO₄ (LFP) ingots as well as granules from low-cost precursors. The melt casting process can provide the benefits of utilizing various precursors, rapid reaction kinetics, homogeneous liquid composition, and scale-up readiness. More importantly, this process also offers the possibility of lower-cost battery materials at a similar or better performance level as compared to solid state methods. If successful, melt synthesis of battery cathode material could offer a novel application of the conventional casting process.