Toyota describes a targeted distribution of manganese in nickel-rich cathode particles to limit capacity loss in lithium-ion batteries. Published on September 17, application US20260279791A1 includes tests with small laminate cells. The result is interesting, but the comparison cannot attribute it conclusively to the surface composition.
More manganese at selected crystal faces
The material consists of single-crystal primary particles containing lithium, nickel, manganese and oxygen. Near selected exposed crystal faces, the surface region should contain more manganese than the particle interior. Claim 1 requires a ratio of at least 1.1 between the manganese amounts compared there. The relevant faces exclude the so-called (003) plane. Toyota suggests that the altered composition stabilises these regions as lithium ions enter and leave. The publication explicitly presents this explanation as a hypothesis, not an isolated demonstration of the mechanism.
85% versus 66% – with an important caveat
The original publication, paragraphs 0091–0097 and Table 1, reports 85% remaining discharge capacity after 100 cycles for the example material, against 66% for the comparator. Testing used 60°C, a current rate of 0.3 C, and a voltage window of 4.25 to 2.5 volts.
However, the materials also differ in composition: the comparator additionally contains cobalt and less nickel. They were also calcined at different temperatures. The 19-percentage-point gap therefore cannot be attributed solely to the surface distribution of manganese.
Pandorex Analysis
The approach warrants further testing with otherwise identical materials and manufacturing conditions. The reported laboratory data establish neither the lifespan of a vehicle battery nor readiness for production. The interesting contribution is a specific surface structure accompanied by cell tests, not an already demonstrated breakthrough.
Document and status
The applicant is Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha. US application 19/443,413, filed on January 8, 2026, claims Japanese priority JP 2025-041380 of March 14, 2025. Its title is “Cathode Active Material and Lithium-Ion Battery”. A1 identifies the published application, not a patent grant. We could not independently confirm the current prosecution status in the Patent Center register on September 19, 2026.