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Why are lithium iron phosphate cathodes gaining popularity?

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes are gaining popularity because of their safety features, long lifespan, and the availability of raw materials. Understanding the supply chain from mine to battery-grade precursors is critical for ensuring sustainable and scalable production.

Which phosphorus is a source of iron?

For iron, important sources are FeC 2 O 4 •2H 2 O, FeSO 4 •7H 2 O, Fe 2 O 3, Fe 3 O 4, and FePO 4 •xH 2 O. Additionally, phosphorus sources include H 3 PO 4, NH 4 H 2 PO 4, and LiH 2 PO 4 [, , ]. Table 1 shows the approximate prices of battery-grade precursors of Li, P, and Fe sources.

Can ferrophosphorus be used to produce battery-grade FEPO 4 2H 2 O?

In a study, Me et al. used ferrophosphorus, a by-product of P 4 production, to produce battery-grade FePO 4 •2H 2 O. Utilizing such by-products enhances resource efficiency and supports more sustainable production pathways. This process is shown in Fig. 4 with a grey line and will be discussed in detail in Section 3.1.

How is FEPO 4 made?

In industrial production, manufacturers create FePO 4 mainly through two methods: the ammonium process and the sodium process (Fig. 11). Both methods involve adjusting the pH to help iron phosphate form. In the ammonium process, which is used in labs and industries, ferrous sulfate reacts with monoammonium phosphate [ (NH 4)H 2 PO 4].