LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) has solved a critical challenge that has blocked commercialization of next-generation lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) batteries. Through joint research with Professor Jongwoo Lim’s team at Seoul National University’s Department of Chemistry, the company has developed operating conditions that can secure LMR battery stability at the large-format cell level for electric vehicles.

The most significant aspect of this research is that LMR technology, which had previously been confined to laboratory-scale small cells, has now been validated in 40Ah (ampere-hour) large-format cells that can actually be installed in electric vehicles. The findings were published in the international journal Nature Communications.

LMR is a next-generation cathode material that uses inexpensive manganese instead of cobalt as its primary raw material. It achieves high energy density by utilizing not only transition metals such as nickel and manganese but also oxygen within the material for energy storage. For the battery industry, which has struggled with soaring cobalt prices, LMR has been viewed as a promising alternative that could significantly reduce cost burdens.

However, LMR has had a fatal drawback: if oxidized oxygen during charging is not fully recovered during discharge, the battery’s internal structure is damaged and gas is generated. In large-format EV cells, which have limited internal headspace, this gas leads to pressure buildup and performance degradation—the biggest obstacle to commercialization.

Through precise analysis of oxygen oxidation-reduction behavior under different charge-discharge conditions, the joint research team discovered that the key variable governing oxygen recovery is not only the upper charge voltage limit but also the lower discharge voltage limit.

Specifically, lowering the upper charge voltage limit from the conventional 4.6V to 4.3V significantly improved the reduction rate of oxidized oxygen from 86% to 97%. When discharge was conducted with the lower voltage limit extended from the conventional 3.0V down to 2.0V, oxygen was observed to recover almost completely to its original state.

Based on these analytical findings, the researchers redesigned the operating voltage range and formation process conditions for the 40Ah-class LMR large-format cell. By applying a lower-temperature formation process, they effectively suppressed the gas generation characteristic of large-format cells.

The optimized 40Ah-class LMR large-format cell retained 92.2% of its initial energy after 883 charge-discharge cycles, demonstrating cycle life stability. Considering the lifespan standards typically required in the EV battery industry, this result supports the case for commercialization.

Professor Jongwoo Lim explained, “This research identifies the cause of LMR battery degradation from the perspective of oxygen reversibility and demonstrates that cell stability can be improved through electrochemical protocol design alone. We confirmed that long-term stability of LMR batteries requires comprehensive consideration of not only charging conditions but also discharge conditions.”

An LG Energy Solution representative said, “This achievement shows that gas generation—a major challenge for LMR batteries—can be effectively suppressed to secure stable battery life even in large-format cells. Through this, we have established an important foundation to accelerate growth in the next-generation LMR battery market.”

A Watershed Moment in Next-Generation Cathode Competition

This research is expected to serve as an important milestone in the development of next-generation cathode materials, an area where global battery manufacturers are competing intensely.

The currently dominant nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) ternary cathode materials are exposed to cobalt price volatility and supply chain risks. A significant portion of global cobalt supply is concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising persistent concerns about supply disruptions due to geopolitical instability and human rights issues.

LMR has been considered a leading candidate for the “post-NCM” era because it completely eliminates cobalt while theoretically achieving higher energy density than NCM. However, commercialization has been delayed because the gas generation problem could not be solved at the large-format cell level.

The battery industry views this research as highly significant because it is the first to validate LMR commercialization potential at the large-format cell level. Particularly notable is that stability was achieved through charge-discharge condition and process design alone, without developing new materials—raising expectations that the approach can be applied to mass production processes relatively quickly.

LG Energy Solution is currently developing next-generation battery technologies centered on its Ochang Energy Plant and has continuously invested in high-manganese cathode material research, including LMR. This achievement is expected to increase the prominence of LMR in the company’s next-generation battery roadmap.

As price competition intensifies in the EV market, battery cost reduction is one of the top priorities for automakers. If cobalt-free LMR batteries are commercialized, EV battery pack prices are expected to decrease meaningfully. However, some observers note that additional process optimization and long-term reliability verification will be needed before actual mass production application.