32700 battery

The development of 32700 battery materials in my country urgently needs to break through the foreign patent blockade

In recent years, the reports on patent disputes regarding lithium iron phosphate, the positive electrode material of lithium-ion batteries, have been very confusing. There are different statements and misattribution on some key issues. In addition, some companies have changed concepts for their own selfish interests, which has misled the public to a considerable extent. Professor Hu Xinguo of Harbin Institute of Technology, executive director of my country Battery Industry Association, believes that there are some issues that need to be clarified regarding patent disputes regarding lithium-ion battery materials. As the positive electrode material of lithium-ion batteries (the negative electrode material is graphite), lithium iron phosphate has two important core technologies: one is that lithium ions are coated with a layer of carbon during its synthesis (otherwise it is not conductive), referred to as carbon coating technology; the other is carbon thermal reduction technology as the production process of lithium iron phosphate. The patents for these two technologies are owned by Phostech of Canada. Several lithium-ion battery manufacturers in the United States have also made the same patent claims, but all ended with Phostech. At present, only the world's leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer A123 and Phostech have not yet closed the case. Hu Xinguo revealed that Canada and the United States have implemented patent protection for lithium iron phosphate, but Phostech's application for patent protection in Europe was rejected. This means that if lithium iron phosphate manufacturers outside Canada and the United States do not obtain patent authorization from Phostech, their products will face risks when entering the Canadian and American markets. He pointed out as an example that the cumulative sales of Toyota Prius hybrids have exceeded 2 million units, and its key markets are in Canada and the United States. It uses nickel-hydrogen batteries instead of lithium-ion batteries. Toyota was very worried at the beginning that once a patent dispute occurs, it may cause huge infringements, which will be a big trouble.

According to Hu Xinguo, Phostech has applied for registration in my country and obtained approval, setting up a patent barrier that Chinese companies cannot bypass. In 2010, the my country Battery Industry Association commissioned my country University of Political Science and Law to file an invalidation request with the National Patent Reexamination Board for the "lithium iron phosphate ion battery" patent held by Phostech. It is still under trial and there is no clear result. Lu Jinlong is also very concerned about this result, but he said that before the result comes out, everything is still unknown. Chinese companies will either be exempted from patent fees or be pursued for patent compensation in the future. Hu Xinguo stressed that some local companies are deceiving themselves by claiming that they have changed the formula and production process of lithium iron phosphate in order to circumvent Phostech's patent. Phostech's lithium iron phosphate patent is composed of its exclusive crystal structure and molecular formula. In order to achieve strict patent prevention, it has registered more than 250 patents in my country, including core patents and marginal patents, which Chinese companies cannot break through at all. It is possible to change the formula and production process, but the product will definitely not be lithium iron phosphate.

Not only is there a bottleneck of foreign patent protection in lithium iron phosphate, but my country is also subject to others in some other material routes. Lithium manganese oxide materials have a long life. The domestic industry has improved its high-temperature stability by doping other materials and improving the production process. For example, Tianneng Company claims that the electric bicycle battery developed by the company, which is mainly based on manganese materials, has greatly improved the high-temperature performance and storage performance of lithium manganese oxide materials by using modified lithium manganese oxide materials and optimizing the electrolyte ratio. The high-temperature cycle life is nearly 50% higher than that of ordinary lithium manganese oxide materials. Koster claims that the company uses high-quality positive electrode materials, which increases the number of cycles by 50% and reduces self-discharge. However, the current process technology and equipment are in the hands of Japan. Professor Wang Zidong, director of the National 863 Power Lithium-ion Battery Testing Center of the Northern Vehicle Research Institute of my country, regretfully pointed out. Wang Zidong said that domestic research on lithium titanate materials as negative electrode materials has also been fruitful, improving the specific energy of batteries and reducing costs. Not only is the material safe, long-lasting, and high charge-discharge specific power, but there is also the problem of foreign patent protection.

It is reported that at the 2011 10th my country International Battery Products and Raw and Auxiliary Materials, Parts and Accessories, and Mechanical Equipment Exhibition and Trade Fair held at the end of June this year, a technician from a domestic battery company once told the media that the company's iron battery is cobalt added to lithium iron phosphate. The full name should be cobalt iron phosphate lithium-ion battery. It not only circumvents the patent of lithium iron phosphate lithium-ion batteries, but also improves the performance of lithium-ion batteries. In this regard, some industry authorities believe that adding other elements to lithium iron phosphate can indeed circumvent patents, but the material performance will only decline and not improve.

Lithium-ion batteries have indeed ushered in comprehensive development opportunities, but we must maintain a positive and prudent attitude, seek stable development, and avoid the kind of impetuousness and falsehood of the Great Leap Forward. Lithium-ion battery materials have high patent barriers. The development of my country's lithium-ion battery industry still needs to go through technology research and development and accumulation of relevant experience, and then improve it on this basis to achieve mature and stable products. An industry insider said.

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