Webinar: PCAM Production for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The production and refinement of precursor cathode active material (PCAM) involves some highly critical process steps

This webinar looks at the vital role of pH and some other key process variables in determining PCAM quality for high performance of lithium-ion batteries.

PCAM production requires tight pH control

PCAM is produced in stirred tank reactors. An undesired shift of only 0.1 pH can strongly influence particle size, distribution and shape, and can severely impact PCAM quality.

Topics covered include:

To obtain the densest possible layer of Active Material on the cathode, Cathode Active Material is manufactured in different but defined particle sizes. Tight pH control during the crystallization/precipitation processes of PCAM is vital in getting the right morphology. However, pH sensors are rarely capable of dealing with the process conditions.

Oxygen analysis of the reactor headspace ensures reliable inerting and prevents the formation of unwanted byproducts.

The performance of lithium-ion batteries in regards to charging and discharging depends greatly on the level of impurities and uniformity of CAM particles. Therefore, PCAM and CAM production must be strictly controlled. As the demand for lithium-ion batteries is set to continue growing for the forseeable future, ensuring PCAM and CAM quality needs to be a constant area of focus.

Presenter: Stefan van der Wal has a degree in Industrial Management and Chemical Engineering. He has over 25 years of experience in the field of process instrumentation and liquid and gas analytics in process industries. Stefan is strongly involved in application engineering and product development and is behind the design and commercialization of various revolutionary new process analytical products and technologies.