The main components of lithium-ion battery raw materials are: positive electrode material, negative electrode material, separator, and electrolyte.
1. Cathode Material: This has the largest market capacity and highest added value in lithium-ion batteries, accounting for approximately 30% of the cost. Gross profit margins range from 15% to over 70%. The performance of the cathode material directly affects the performance of the lithium-ion battery. The most commonly used materials include lithium cobalt oxide, lithium manganese oxide, lithium iron phosphate, and ternary materials (polymers of nickel, cobalt, and manganese).
2. Anode Materials: These mainly include carbon anode materials and non-carbon anode materials. Carbon anode materials are widely used in commercial lithium-ion batteries due to their safety, long cycle life, low cost, and non-toxicity; however, their energy density is relatively low. Non-carbon anode materials are classified by composition into lithium transition metal nitrides, transition metal oxides, and nano-alloy materials. They have high volumetric energy density, but poor cycle stability, large irreversible capacity, and high manufacturing costs, thus preventing their industrialization. Currently, researchers are exploring the development of high-capacity, non-carbon composite anode materials by combining carbon materials with various high-capacity non-carbon anode materials.
3. Separator: The separator is a thin film used to separate the positive and negative electrodes during the electrolysis reaction of lithium-ion batteries, preventing direct reaction and energy loss in the electrolytic cell. Its performance determines the battery's interface structure, internal resistance, etc., and directly affects the battery's capacity, cycle life, and safety performance. Commercially available separator materials are mainly polyolefin separators, primarily made of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). PE products are mainly produced by wet processes, while PP products are mainly produced by dry processes.
4. Electrolyte: The electrolyte plays the role of conducting ions between the positive and negative electrodes of a lithium battery, which is the guarantee for lithium-ion batteries to obtain advantages such as high voltage and high specific energy.
