Benchmarks/Energy materials/Li-ion cathodes

Li-ion cathode benchmark

energy/li-ion-cathodes

6 materials · every value links to its source · "no data" means no sourced value yet

Battery cathode materials compared on capacity, voltage, density, heat tolerance and cycle life. Ranked by the column you pick. Measured values come first; calculated values are labeled, and predictions are never mixed in as measurements.

Rank by Measured values only

Li-ion cathode benchmark: materials ranked by the chosen measurement
Material	Theoretical capacity	Measured capacity	Average voltage	Density	Thermal runaway onsetfinished cell	Cycle lifefinished cell	Data
LFPLithium iron phosphate	170 mAh/gcalculated	164.1 mAh/gmeasured · lab	3.4 V vs Li/Li+measured · lab	0.8 to 1.5 g/cm³measured · lab	116.7 °Cmeasured · lab	275 cyclesmeasured · lab	6 of 6
LCOLithium cobalt oxide	274 mAh/gcalculated	140 mAh/gmeasured · lab	3.9 to 4.2 V vs Li/Li+measured · lab	4.2 g/cm³measured · lab	111.8 °Cmeasured · lab	> 16000 cyclesmeasured · flight	6 of 6
LMOLithium manganese oxide (spinel), with the high-voltage nickel variant LNMO	285 mAh/gcalculated	123 mAh/gmeasured · lab	no data	no data	no data	no data	2 of 6
LNOLithium nickel oxide	275 mAh/gcalculated	no data	4 V vs Li/Li+measured · lab	3.3 g/cm³measured · lab	no data	69.2 % retainedmeasured · lab	4 of 6
NCALithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide	278 mAh/gcalculated	200 mAh/gmeasured · lab	3.6 to 4.3 V vs Li/Li+measured · lab	no data	101.7 °Cmeasured · lab	500 to 1500 cyclesmeasured · lab	5 of 6
NMCLithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide	275 mAh/gcalculated	162.8 mAh/gmeasured · lab	no data	no data	91 °Cmeasured · lab	300 cyclesmeasured · lab	4 of 6

Hover a value to see its conditions. Open a material for the method and the source. Want a missing value? Add a result. Download this comparison as CSV.

What each material can do wrong, and how much we still do not know. Open a material for the full detail and sources.

Risks and known gaps for each material
Material	Hazards	Failure risks	Worst severity	Known gaps
LFPLithium iron phosphate	2	2	moderate	7
LCOLithium cobalt oxide	2	4	critical	8
LMOLithium manganese oxide (spinel), with the high-voltage nickel variant LNMO	2	2	moderate	13
LNOLithium nickel oxide	4	4	high	10
NCALithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide	2	3	critical	8
NMCLithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide	2	2	high	9

Severity is the editors' reading of the cited sources, not a safety certification. "none listed" means no sourced failure risk has been entered, which is not the same as safe.

How to read this

Measured values come from a test or a flight. Calculated values are worked out from the material's formula. Prediction values come from a model.
no data means nobody has published a value we could source. It does not mean zero.
Material values describe the active material. Cell values describe a finished cell, which varies by manufacturer. Check the conditions before comparing cell values.
Every value links to its source, with the place in the source where it can be found.

The measurements

The measurements
Measurement	Better when	How it is tested
Theoretical capacityCharge the material can store per gram, from its chemistry	higher	Faraday calculation from the formula
Measured capacityCharge actually delivered per gram in a test cell	higher	Half-cell test at stated rate and voltage window
Average voltageTypical working voltage against lithium	depends on the use	Half-cell test
DensityMass per volume, which sets volumetric energy	depends on the use	Crystallographic or tap density
Thermal runaway onsetTemperature where self-heating begins	higher	DSC or accelerating-rate calorimetry
Cycle lifeCharge-discharge cycles before capacity falls to a stated level	higher	Cycling test at stated rate, depth and temperature