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LFP and LMFP cathodes

by Mitra ChemUS

PilotStage 3 of 5

Sampling to customers; scaling toward US mass production.

Updated 20 Sep 2024Checked 25 Sep0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Michigan mass-production plant
  1. Commercial-grade LMFP samples shippedDec 2023Complete.
  2. Multi-ton LFP production milestone2024Complete.
  3. Michigan mass-production plantNowCurrent milestone.

Most important updates

  • 20 Sep 2024
  • 13 Jun 2024
  • Dec 2023
  • 13 Sep 2023

Current obstacles

  • Competing with Chinese LFP costChinese LFP cathode is extremely cheap; a US plant must rely on policy support and buyers paying for secure supply.

Physics limits

  • Phosphates conduct electrons poorlyLFP barely conducts electricity, and manganese versions even less, so particles must be nano-sized and carbon-coated, which limits power and packing density.
  • Manganese dissolves over timeMn3+ distorts the crystal (Jahn-Teller effect) and manganese leaches into the electrolyte, fading capacity; this caps how much iron can be swapped out.
  • The phosphate framework is heavyThe phosphate adds weight but stores no charge, capping LFP near 170 mAh/g in theory, well below nickel-rich cathodes.

How it works

3 parts
Coin-size test cells clipped into a lab rig: how new cathode recipes, like Mitra's iron-phosphate blends, are charged and checked
Coin-size test cells clipped into a lab rig: how new cathode recipes, like Mitra's iron-phosphate blends, are charged and checkedPhoto: Chingo K · CC BY 4.0 (opens commons.wikimedia.org)
LFP

Iron phosphate cathodes

LFP stores lithium in a stable iron-phosphate crystal: cheap, long-lived and hard to ignite, though it holds less energy than nickel.

LMFP

Manganese lifts the voltage

Replacing part of the iron with manganese raises the voltage of that share from ~3.4 V to ~4.1 V, adding roughly 15–20% energy.

ML

Machine learning in the lab

Mitra uses models and automated experiments to choose recipes and firing conditions, cutting the rounds needed to tune a cathode.

Update log

4 updates

Fri 20 Sep 2024

  • Major: PressFunding

Thu 13 Jun 2024

  • Minor: PressPartnership

Dec 2023

  • Minor: BlogCommercial

Wed 13 Sep 2023

  • Minor: PressPartnership

About Mitra Chem

The team behind LFP and LMFP cathodes

Mitra Chem

LFP and LMFP cathodes, machine-learning R&D

Mitra Chem (Mountain View, founded 2019) uses machine learning to speed up lab work on iron-based battery cathodes (LFP and LMFP) and is building North American production, including a planned plant in Michigan.

  • Aims to build North America's first mass-production LFP cathode plant, in Michigan.
  • GM led its $60M Series B in 2023.
  • Began shipping commercial-grade LMFP samples to EV and cell makers in December 2023.

mitrachem.com (opens mitrachem.com)Company profile →

Founded
20197 yrs
Headquarters
United States
Status
Private
Valuation
private
Raised
$60M1 round
Last round
Series B · $60M2023
Works in
MaterialsBattery materialsEnergy
Coverage
1 program · 4 updateslatest 20 Sep 2024checked 25 Sep
Lead investors
General Motors
Partners
Saint-Gobain
Investors
General Motors (opens gm.com)L&F (opens landf.co.kr)
People
Vivas Kumar (opens mitrachem.com)Co-founder & CEO
Primer