LG Chem's cathode material plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. (LG Chem)

LG Chem said Monday that it has begun mass production of high-nickel single-crystal cathode materials for next-generation batteries at its plant in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, making it the first Korean company to do so.

"High-nickel single crystal cathode materials are an innovative solution that will transform the landscape of the future battery material market and address customers' needs,” said Vice Chairman and CEO Shin Hak-cheol.

Cathodes are a core component that determines the power of lithium-ion batteries and account for about 40 percent of battery production costs.

Single-crystal cathode materials are made from various metals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese that are fused into a one-body form. They are considered the key to solving the core challenges of next-generation batteries, namely lifespan and capacity.

Conventional cathode materials have a polycrystal structure where metal particles aggregate into smaller clusters. As charging and discharging cycles repeat, this leads to gas generation between the particles and a gradual reduction in battery lifespan. This problem has been a barrier to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and a main concern for clients.

LG Chem plans to remedy this issue by using durable single-crystal cathode materials. Doing so would minimize gas generation, resulting in more stability and extending battery lifespan by over 30 percent compared to conventional materials.

In addition, these materials allow for higher density, increasing battery capacity by over 10 percent compared to conventional materials.

In the initial stages of production, LG Chem plans to mix single-crystal cathode materials with conventional cathode materials in a ratio of 2 to 8, then gradually transition to 100 percent single-crystal cathode materials.

These materials will be applied to various products as well, including pouch-type batteries and 46-millimeter-wide, 80-millimeter-long cylindrical batteries.

The first batch of the cathodes will be shipped to client companies starting in July, the company said.

LG Chem also plans to expand its production line for single crystal cathode materials at its plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, by 2027 and increase the production capacity to over 50,000 metric tons.

"Based on our battery material technology and diversified product portfolio, we will lead the market to become the world's largest comprehensive battery material company,” Shin added.