Lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries could offer a lower-cost, cobalt-free option for electric vehicles, but their path to commercialization has been complicated by unwanted gas generation during charge and discharge cycles. A team from LG Energy Solution and Seoul National University now reports a practical strategy to address that problem by adjusting how the cells are charged, discharged, and initially formed.

In a paper published in Nature Communications on September 7, 2026, the group—led by Professor Jongwoo Lim of Seoul National University’s Department of Chemistry—describes how oxygen recovery in LMR cathodes responds to specific voltage conditions. LMR materials draw energy from both transition metals and oxygen, which boosts energy density while allowing manganese to replace more expensive cobalt. Yet this same oxygen activity can become a drawback if the oxygen is not fully reabsorbed during discharge, leading to gas buildup that can damage internal structures and raise pressure inside large-format EV cells.

The researchers found that oxygen recovery is highly sensitive to the voltage limits used during cycling. Lowering the upper charging voltage from 4.6 V to 4.3 V increased the reduction of oxidized oxygen from 86% to 97%. Extending the discharge cutoff from 3.0 V down to 2.0 V allowed the oxygen to return nearly to its original state. Together, these adjustments reduced the tendency for gas to accumulate.

Using these findings, LG Energy Solution redesigned the operating voltage window and formation process for its 40 Ah-class large-format LMR cells. The company also introduced a lower-temperature formation step to further suppress gas evolution within the cells. In subsequent testing, the optimized cells retained 92.2% of their initial energy capacity after 883 charge and discharge cycles.

According to the research partners, the results strengthen the commercial case for LMR materials in large-format EV batteries and indicate that their potential may extend well beyond small-format applications.

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