3M Signs Deal with Johnson Matthey for NMC Patent License

Johnson Matthey and 3M have signed a patent license agreement that is meant to broaden the use of Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications. As part of the deal, 3M gave Johnson Matthey the license to US6964828, US7078128, US8241791, US8685565 and all global equivalents thereof, and to US6660432 and all global equivalents thereof.

Cathodes comprising nickel, manganese and cobalt offer plenty of benefits when it comes to thermal stability, energy, cost and power.

NMC cathode materials can be customized through changes in composition and morphology to deliver optimal performance in a number of automotive applications ranging from micro-hybrid systems to fully electric vehicles. Johnson Matthey will help commercialize NMC technologies through customization and focused product development to support and enable the production of electric powertrains.

Commenting on the agreement, Neil Collins, director of Johnson Matthey’s Battery Materials business said that the deal represented the next step in the company’s strategy to provide a broad portfolio of cathode materials to the automotive and other high performance markets. He added that the company would use its skills in nickel chemistry and in the scale-up and manufacturing of battery materials to provide customers with customized commercial products.”

According to Christian Milker, global business manager of 3M’s Electronics Materials Solutions pision the electric vehicle market is growing at a rapid pace and this is driving the need for NMC-based cathode materials globally, especially in the Chinese market, where Johnson Matthey has a factory. He felt Johnson Matthey is well-positioned to supply lithium ion battery customers in this dynamic environment and said that the deal would expedite the adoption of NMC technology worldwide.