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Nickel Cobalt Manganese Oxide (NCM)

BASF's portfolio of advanced HED NCM cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries includes various nickel compositions, ranging from the traditional NCM 111 mixture to nickel-rich content products, such as NCM 721 and NCM 811. They all include a variety of coating and doping options that can best meet customer application requirements for enhanced safety, prolonged life cycle, high energy capacity and density, as well as improved chemical stability.

To meet the fast-growing demand of cathode active materials driven by e-mobility, BASF has established a global cathode active materials R&D and production network, with existing NCM manufacturing assets in Japan and the U.S.

Our R&D roadmap calls for continuous improvement in the development of nickel-rich materials with outstanding $/kwh performance: >80mol% nickel materials with complex doping and coating strategies that can deliver high-capacity, long-life-cycle material for safe use in automotive applications. Moreover, BASF is working closely with OEMs and cell manufacturers on many innovative and tailor-made NCM products for automotive applications.

As a pioneer and market leader in cathode active materials, BASF is prepared for the growing global e-mobility demand for nickel-rich cathode active materials.

Beyond the HED NCM family, BASF is one of the licensed suppliers of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory for patented NCM cathode active materials, which employs a unique combination of lithium and manganese-rich mixed metal oxides. The license covers the broadest scope of NCM chemistry, which can be used in today's lithium-ion batteries. This includes lithium stabilization (molar ratio of lithium to other metals greater than 1) of known NCM materials, such as 111, 622, and 523, which improves power characteristics, cycle life and safety of current lithium-ion technology.

BASF and the Argonne National Laboratory in 2010 received a "Deals of Distinction" Award for this worldwide agreement. The award, granted by the Licensing Executives Society (USA and Canada), Inc., acknowledged this agreement's significant potential to improve the environment and provide economic growth