{ "spore": "profile", "id": "nca", "spore_version": "0.2", "family": "lithium", "name": "Lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide", "abbreviation": "NCA", "role": "cathode", "category": "energy", "type": "li-ion-cathodes", "summary": "NCA is a nickel-rich layered cathode, usually written LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (the composition every number below refers to unless it says otherwise). It stores more charge than lithium cobalt oxide and uses less cobalt. NASA lists it for the InSight and Mars 2020 battery systems, and it is used in electric-vehicle cells. Its weak points are heat (a charged NCA cathode releases oxygen on heating), sensitivity to moisture and CO2 in air, and a shorter cycle life than some rivals.\n", "best_for": "High specific capacity and energy from a layered oxide with less cobalt than LCO", "weakest_at": "Thermal stability of the charged cathode, moisture sensitivity and cycle life at high nickel content", "identity": { "formula": "LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2", "cas": "193214-24-3", "crystal_system": "trigonal (layered O3 type, same structure as LiCoO2)", "space_group": "R-3m", "designations": [], "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Section 3.1.5 (structure); CAS and formula from the MSE Supplies SDS section 1 and 3" }, "tags": { "environments": [ "mars-surface" ], "stresses": [ "extreme-heat" ], "applications": [ "batteries", "rovers-and-surface-systems" ] }, "properties": [ { "benchmark": "theoretical_capacity", "value": 278, "bound": "exact", "unit": "mAh/g", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "composition": "general LiNixCoyAlzO2; the source does not say which Ni:Co:Al ratio the figure is for", "basis": "described as hypothetical capacity" }, "method": "Review statement", "status": "calculated", "note": "The review gives the general formula, not LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 specifically.", "source": "molecules-2023", "where": "Section 3.3 (NCA paragraph)", "source_detail": { "title": "Layered-Oxide Cathode Materials for Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Review", "id": "doi:10.3390/molecules28104007", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28104007", "year": 2023, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "practical_capacity", "value": 200, "bound": "exact", "unit": "mAh/g", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "composition": "LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2", "voltage_range": "3.6-4.3 V vs Li/Li+ (as listed in the table)", "rate": "not stated in the source" }, "method": "Literature comparison table (approximate value, \"~200\")", "status": "ground", "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Table 4", "source_detail": { "title": "Nanostructured Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries: Synthesis, Morphology, and Performances", "id": "doi:10.3390/ijms27156797", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27156797", "year": 2026, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "avg_voltage", "label": "Operating voltage range", "value": 3.6, "value_high": 4.3, "bound": "range", "unit": "V vs Li/Li+", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "composition": "LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2", "basis": "operating voltage range listed in a comparison table" }, "method": "Literature comparison table", "status": "ground", "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Table 4", "source_detail": { "title": "Nanostructured Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries: Synthesis, Morphology, and Performances", "id": "doi:10.3390/ijms27156797", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27156797", "year": 2026, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "thermal_runaway_onset", "label": "DSC exotherm onset, delithiated NCA with electrolyte", "value": 250, "bound": "exact", "unit": "°C", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "sample": "Li0.45(Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05)O2 powder, delithiated", "electrolyte": "1.2 M LiPF6 in EC:EMC (3:7 wt)", "compared_with": "Li0.55(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2 at above 300 °C and 790 J/g" }, "method": "Differential scanning calorimetry, as summarised in a review of Belharouak et al. (2006)", "status": "ground", "note": "Heat released was 1460 J/g for NCA against 790 J/g for the NMC111 powder. This is a secondhand figure; the original paper was not opened.", "source": "ahangari-2024", "where": "Section 2.2 (thermal stability), Figure 11a,b", "source_detail": { "title": "Advancements and Challenges in High-Capacity Ni-Rich Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries", "id": "doi:10.3390/ma17040801", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040801", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "oxygen_loss_600c", "label": "Oxygen mass loss on heating, delithiated NCA", "value": 11, "bound": "exact", "unit": "wt%", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "sample": "Li0.45(Ni0.8Co0.15Al0.05)O2, delithiated", "atmosphere": "TGA in purified air as shown in the review's figure", "end_temperature": "600 °C", "release_starts": "about 190 °C for NCA vs 250 °C for NMC111, read from the review's figure; not stated in the text" }, "method": "Thermogravimetric analysis, as summarised in a review", "status": "ground", "note": "NMC111 lost 6% in the same comparison. Secondhand figure from a review.", "source": "ahangari-2024", "where": "Section 2.2, Figure 11c", "source_detail": { "title": "Advancements and Challenges in High-Capacity Ni-Rich Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries", "id": "doi:10.3390/ma17040801", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040801", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "thermal_runaway_onset", "label": "Cell self-heating onset (ARC), NCA 18650", "value": 101.71, "bound": "exact", "unit": "°C", "scope": "cell", "conditions": { "cell": "18650, NCA/graphite, 3.0 Ah rated, 3.7 V nominal", "soc": "100%", "test": "ARC heat-wait-search, 60 to 300 °C, 5 °C steps", "definition": "self-heating rate above 0.03 °C/min" }, "method": "Accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) on commercial cells", "status": "ground", "note": "The authors attribute this first onset to SEI decomposition on the anode. Thermal runaway (above 10 °C/min) began at 165.44 °C and the maximum cell temperature was 491.84 °C. In the same test LCO reached 545.11 °C and NCM811 462.52 °C.", "source": "yuan-2024", "where": "Table 1, Table 2", "source_detail": { "title": "Influence of cathode materials on thermal characteristics of lithium-ion batteries", "id": "doi:10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY" } }, { "benchmark": "thermal_runaway_tmax", "label": "Maximum temperature in thermal runaway (cell)", "value": 491.84, "bound": "exact", "unit": "°C", "scope": "cell", "conditions": { "cell": "18650, NCA/graphite, 3.0 Ah", "soc": "100%", "test": "ARC, adiabatic" }, "method": "Accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC)", "status": "ground", "note": "The authors note that for the non-LFP cells Tmax is above the autoignition temperature of diethyl carbonate (445 °C) and rank hazard LCO > NCA > NCM811 >> LFP.", "source": "yuan-2024", "where": "Table 2", "source_detail": { "title": "Influence of cathode materials on thermal characteristics of lithium-ion batteries", "id": "doi:10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY" } }, { "benchmark": "cycle_life", "label": "Typical cycle life range quoted for NCA cells", "value": 500, "value_high": 1500, "bound": "range", "unit": "cycles", "scope": "cell", "conditions": { "basis": "general range stated in a review; depth of discharge, rate, temperature and end-of-life criterion are not given", "compared_with": "1500 to 2000 cycles for NMC" }, "method": "Review statement", "status": "ground", "note": "Treat as indicative only. NASA's JPL assessment ranks cathode cycle life as LiFePO4 > NMC > NCA > Mn spinel > LCO > LiNiCoO2.", "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Section 6.1 (NASA ranking in nasa-jpl-estorage section 4.2.1, p. 35)", "source_detail": { "title": "Nanostructured Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries: Synthesis, Morphology, and Performances", "id": "doi:10.3390/ijms27156797", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27156797", "year": 2026, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } }, { "benchmark": "microcrack_area_fraction", "label": "Microcrack area after charging (NCA80)", "value": 5, "bound": "exact", "unit": "% (areal fraction)", "scope": "material", "conditions": { "sample": "LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA80)", "state": "charged to 4.3 V", "compared_with": "14.0% for NCA88 and 25.7% for NCA95" }, "method": "Cross-section SEM, as summarised in a review of Nam et al.", "status": "ground", "note": "A proxy for the abrupt c-axis shrinkage at the H2 to H3 phase transition. The review also says NCA80 still held a substantial fraction of H2 at 4.3 V. The review says only \"areal fraction\". No volume-change percentage was found.", "source": "ahangari-2024", "where": "Section 2.1 (structural degradation)", "source_detail": { "title": "Advancements and Challenges in High-Capacity Ni-Rich Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries", "id": "doi:10.3390/ma17040801", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040801", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" } } ], "corrosion": [ { "environment": "Air with moisture and CO2", "headline": "In air, NCA reacts with moisture and CO₂ and forms surface residues that cost capacity.", "effect": "Surface lithium compounds (LiOH, Li2CO3) form easily on nickel-rich oxides during preparation and storage, and Li(NiCoAl)O2 is described as prone to react with CO2 and moisture in air. These residues cause side reactions and capacity loss at high voltage. One review table lists moisture sensitivity as a main challenge for NCA.", "rating": "moderate", "conditions": { "exposure": "ambient air; no humidity or time given for NCA in the sources" }, "source": "ahangari-2024", "where": "Section 2.2 (residual lithium) and ijms-nano-2026 Table 4" }, { "environment": "Electrolyte, charged to 4.3 V and above", "headline": "Above 4.3 V, surface nickel attacks the electrolyte and metals leach out toward the anode.", "effect": "Surface Ni4+ attacks the electrolyte and forms a NiO-like rock-salt layer; transition metals (Ni most of all) leach out, deposit on the graphite anode and add impedance. Leaching figures quoted are for NCM-type cathodes, not NCA.", "rating": "moderate", "conditions": { "voltage": "4.3 V vs Li/Li+ and above", "note": "NCA surface degradation described in Molecules 2023; leaching ppm values are from an NCM523/graphite study" }, "source": "molecules-2023", "where": "Section 2.3 (NCA paragraph)" }, { "environment": "HF from LiPF6 and trace moisture", "headline": "Trace water turns LiPF6 into hydrofluoric acid, which speeds metal dissolution.", "effect": "With trace water LiPF6 breaks down to PF5 and HF. HF accelerates transition-metal dissolution and attacks the electrode-electrolyte interface.", "rating": "moderate", "conditions": { "trigger": "LiPF6 above about 60 °C, trace moisture", "note": "general statement for Li-ion cells, not measured on NCA alone" }, "source": "yang-2026", "where": "Electrolyte decomposition and salt sections" }, { "environment": "Aluminium current collector with LiPF6 electrolyte", "headline": "LiPF6 is compatible with aluminium collectors, though some other salts corrode them.", "effect": "LiPF6 is described as compatible with aluminium collectors, while some alternative salts (LiTFSI, LiBF4) cause Al corrosion at low concentrations. In Li-ion cells in general, corrosion mainly affects Cu and Al collectors at high temperature, over-discharge and high voltage.", "rating": "low", "conditions": { "electrolyte": "LiPF6 carbonate", "note": "no NCA-specific aluminium corrosion rate found" }, "source": "yang-2026", "where": "Electrolyte salt section" } ], "risks": { "hazards": [ { "text": "Supplier SDS (MSE Supplies, revision 12 Feb 2019 as printed 12-2-2019): skin sensitisation category 1 (may cause an allergic skin reaction) and carcinogenicity category 2 (suspected of causing cancer), signal word Danger. No occupational exposure limit listed.", "ghs": [ "H317", "H351" ], "source": "sds-nca-mse", "where": "Section 2 and Section 8" }, { "text": "PubChem, from 49 ECHA notifications: H317 in 98% and H351 in 95.9% of reports, signal word Warning.", "ghs": [ "H317", "H351" ], "source": "pubchem-nca", "where": "GHS Classification" } ], "failure_risks": [ { "mode": "Oxygen release and thermal runaway of a charged cathode", "trigger": "Heating a delithiated (charged) cathode; an overcharged NCA goes from layered to spinel to rock salt above about 200 °C", "consequence": "Layered oxide loses lattice oxygen and gives a high-heat exotherm that burns the electrolyte. In DSC with electrolyte NCA gave 1460 J/g with onset at 250 °C, and lost 11 wt% as oxygen by 600 °C.", "severity": "critical", "source": "ahangari-2024", "where": "Section 2.3 and Figure 11; yang-2026 thermal runaway section for the 200 °C statement" }, { "mode": "Whole-cell thermal runaway", "trigger": "100% state of charge, heated adiabatically (ARC)", "consequence": "An 18650 NCA cell began self-heating at 101.71 °C, reached runaway at 165.44 °C and peaked at 491.84 °C. The paper rates NCA the second most hazardous of the four chemistries tested, after LCO.", "severity": "critical", "source": "yuan-2024", "where": "Table 2" }, { "mode": "Microcracking from the H2 to H3 phase change", "trigger": "Charging above about 4.15 V (higher nickel makes it earlier and sharper)", "consequence": "Abrupt shrinkage along the c-axis cracks the secondary particles; electrolyte then reaches fresh surfaces and the resistive interphase grows, so capacity fades. The effect only appears strongly at 80% nickel or more and gets worse as nickel rises.", "severity": "moderate", "source": "molecules-2023", "where": "Section 2.3; ijms-nano-2026 section 3.1.5" } ], "side_effects": [ { "text": "Nickel-rich oxides give off reactive oxygen, CO and CO2 when charged; the gas raises internal pressure and can crack the electrode.", "affects": "Cell internals and neighbouring cells in a pack (gas, heat)", "source": "ahangari-2024", "where": "Section 2.3 (gas evolution)" }, { "text": "The 2017 NASA assessment notes Li-ion cells in general are less tolerant of electrical and thermal abuse than aqueous nickel batteries and need electronic charge control.", "affects": "Spacecraft power system", "source": "nasa-jpl-estorage", "where": "Section 3.3.2" }, { "text": "Review table says NCA cells need a strong battery management system and cooling because of their lower thermal stability.", "affects": "Pack design (mass and complexity of thermal control)", "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Table 3" } ], "handling": [ { "text": "Keep container tightly closed in a dry, well-ventilated place; avoid dust formation; wear gloves, face shield and a particle respirator (N100/P3); store locked up.", "source": "sds-nca-mse", "where": "Sections 2, 7 and 8" } ], "mitigations": [ { "text": "Aluminium in the lattice is described as a structural stabiliser for NCA; the review credits it with improving structural durability compared with higher-cobalt-free compositions.", "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Section 3.1.5" }, { "text": "Concentration-gradient particles and Mg/Al co-doping are reported to suppress the H2 to H3 transition (LiNi0.95Co0.03Al0.01Mg0.01O2 kept a capacity retention of 95.6% in the cited study).", "source": "ijms-nano-2026", "where": "Section 3.1.7" } ] }, "uses": [ { "application": "batteries", "device": "Mars lander and rover batteries (NASA)", "example": "NASA's 2017 JPL assessment lists the InSight (launch May 2018, Mars) and Mars 2020 (launch listed as summer 2020, Mars) battery systems as Li-ion (NCA). The table was written before these launches.", "source": "nasa-jpl-estorage", "where": "Table 3-3" }, { "application": "rovers-and-surface-systems", "device": "Rover and lander power", "example": "Same table entry (InSight lander, Mars 2020 rover). The earlier Mars rovers and landers (MER, Phoenix, MSL, MAVEN and others) are listed in the same table as Li-ion (NCO), a nickel-cobalt oxide without aluminium, not NCA.", "source": "nasa-jpl-estorage", "where": "Table 3-3" }, { "application": "batteries", "device": "Electric-vehicle cells", "example": "Tesla Model S, X and 3 batteries use NCA, per a 2023 review; another 2026 review says Tesla has historically used NCA for its long-range EVs.", "source": "molecules-2023", "where": "Section 2.3 (NCA paragraph); ijms-nano-2026 section 3.4" } ], "supply": [ { "subject": "Nickel", "abundance": "No crustal abundance figure was read. USGS gives identified nickel resources of more than 350 million tons (54% in laterites) and world reserves above 140,000,000 tons.", "producers": [ { "country": "Indonesia", "share_percent": 66.7, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Philippines", "share_percent": 6.9, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Russia", "share_percent": 5.1, "year": 2025 } ], "critical_lists": [ { "list": "USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (final, 7 Nov 2025)", "listed": true }, { "list": "EU Critical Raw Materials Act, Annex II (Regulation 2024/1252)", "listed": true } ], "recycling": "In 2025, nickel recovered from scrap was about 60% of U.S. apparent consumption, mostly stainless-steel scrap used again for alloys and stainless.", "substitutes": [ "USGS substitutes listed are for stainless steel and alloy uses (low-nickel and duplex stainless steels, titanium alloys); none is given for battery cathodes." ], "source": "usgs-nickel-2026", "where": "World Mine Production and Reserves (shares computed here from 2025e mine production over the 3,900,000-ton world total); Recycling; Substitutes Critical-list status from crs-usgs-list-2026 (aluminum, cobalt, lithium and nickel are all on the USGS list) and eu-crma-2024 (cobalt, lithium, nickel battery grade, bauxite/alumina/aluminium)." }, { "subject": "Cobalt", "abundance": "No crustal abundance figure was read. USGS gives identified world terrestrial cobalt resources of about 25 million tons and reserves of 12,000,000 tons.", "producers": [ { "country": "Congo (Kinshasa)", "share_percent": 73, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Indonesia", "share_percent": 14, "year": 2025 } ], "critical_lists": [ { "list": "USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (final, 7 Nov 2025)", "listed": true }, { "list": "EU Critical Raw Materials Act, Annex II (Regulation 2024/1252)", "listed": true } ], "recycling": "In 2025, cobalt content of purchased scrap in the United States represented 25% of estimated cobalt consumption.", "substitutes": [ "The cobalt content of lithium-ion batteries was being decreased; cobalt-free iron-phosphorus cathodes held significant market share in China." ], "source": "usgs-cobalt-2026", "where": "Events, Trends, and Issues; Recycling; Substitutes Critical-list status from crs-usgs-list-2026 (aluminum, cobalt, lithium and nickel are all on the USGS list) and eu-crma-2024 (cobalt, lithium, nickel battery grade, bauxite/alumina/aluminium). Congo (Kinshasa) share: the USGS text states 73%, while its table gives 230,000 of 310,000 t, which is 74.2%." }, { "subject": "Lithium", "abundance": "USGS gives world lithium reserves of 37,000,000 tons and measured and indicated resources of about 150 million tons. No crustal abundance figure was read.", "producers": [ { "country": "Australia", "share_percent": 31.7, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "China", "share_percent": 21.4, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Chile", "share_percent": 19.3, "year": 2025 } ], "critical_lists": [ { "list": "USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (final, 7 Nov 2025)", "listed": true }, { "list": "EU Critical Raw Materials Act, Annex II (Regulation 2024/1252)", "listed": true } ], "recycling": "Construction of lithium battery recycling plants continued throughout 2025.", "substitutes": [ "USGS examples of lithium substitution are for primary batteries, ceramics, greases and glass, not lithium-ion cathodes." ], "source": "usgs-lithium-2026", "where": "World Mine Production and Reserves (shares computed here from 2025 mine production over the 290,000-ton world total, which excludes withheld U.S. data) Critical-list status from crs-usgs-list-2026 (aluminum, cobalt, lithium and nickel are all on the USGS list) and eu-crma-2024 (cobalt, lithium, nickel battery grade, bauxite/alumina/aluminium)." }, { "subject": "Aluminium (as bauxite)", "abundance": "USGS gives bauxite resources of 55 billion to 75 billion tons and world bauxite reserves of 29,000,000 thousand tons. Aluminium makes up only 5 of the 100 atom-percent of the metal sites in NCA.", "producers": [ { "country": "Guinea", "share_percent": 34.1, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "Australia", "share_percent": 22, "year": 2025 }, { "country": "China", "share_percent": 19.8, "year": 2025 } ], "critical_lists": [ { "list": "USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals (final, 7 Nov 2025)", "listed": true }, { "list": "EU Critical Raw Materials Act, Annex II (Regulation 2024/1252)", "listed": true } ], "recycling": "In 2025, aluminium recovered from old (discarded) scrap in the U.S. was equal to about 28% of apparent consumption. This is aluminium metal in general, not recovery from batteries.", "substitutes": [ "USGS: bauxite is the only commercial raw material for alumina in the U.S.; clay and other raw materials are technically possible but not competitive." ], "source": "usgs-bauxite-2026", "where": "Bauxite production table, 2025e (shares computed here over the 440,000 thousand-ton world total); World Resources; Substitutes. Recycling from the USGS aluminum chapter (source usgs-aluminum-2026). Critical-list status from crs-usgs-list-2026 (aluminum, cobalt, lithium and nickel are all on the USGS list) and eu-crma-2024 (cobalt, lithium, nickel battery grade, bauxite/alumina/aluminium)." } ], "media": [ { "file": "/media/lithium/nca-1.jpg", "caption": "Temperature and self-heating rate of four 18650 cells in an accelerating rate calorimeter; panel B is the NCA cell.", "shows": "Cell temperature (red) and rate of temperature rise (blue) against time for NCM811 (A), NCA (B), LCO (C) and LFP (D) cells at 100% state of charge. The NCA cell peaks near 490 °C.", "conditions": "ARC heat-wait-search from 60 to 300 °C, commercial 18650 cells, 100% SOC", "alt": "Four line charts of temperature and heating rate over time; each lithium-ion cell shows a sudden spike at thermal runaway, except the LFP cell.", "credit": "Yuan Y. et al., Frontiers in Chemistry 12 (2024), Figure 3", "license": "CC BY", "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "source_url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840" }, { "file": "/media/lithium/nca-2.jpg", "caption": "SEM of Ni-rich NCA powder: a spherical secondary particle made of many small crystals (panels a and d, undoped sample).", "shows": "Scanning electron micrographs of LiNi0.88Co0.09Al0.03O2 (NCA88, higher nickel than the 0.8 profile composition), undoped in panels a and d and tungsten-doped in the others, plus element maps of Ni, Co, Al, O and W.", "conditions": "SEM, as-synthesised powder; scale bars 2 um, 500 nm and 5 um. The composition is NCA88, not LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2.", "alt": "Electron microscope images of a round cathode particle about 10 micrometres across, built from many faceted crystals, with colour element maps below.", "credit": "Zhang R. et al., Nanomaterials 12 (2022), Figure 2", "license": "CC BY 4.0", "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "source_url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12050729" }, { "file": "/media/lithium/nca-3.jpg", "caption": "Artist's view of the InSight lander on Mars, one of the two missions NASA's 2017 assessment lists with NCA batteries.", "shows": "Rendering of the InSight lander with its solar arrays, seismometer and heat probe. It shows the vehicle, not the battery.", "conditions": "NASA/JPL artist rendition", "alt": "Illustration of a lander with two round solar arrays standing on orange Martian ground, with a cutaway showing instruments below the surface.", "credit": "NASA/JPL", "license": "Public domain", "license_url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:InSight_Lander.jpg", "source_url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:InSight_Lander.jpg" } ], "documents": [ { "title": "Lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide safety data sheet (MSE Supplies)", "type": "sds", "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0722/7785/files/MSE-NCA-SDS.pdf", "year": 2019 }, { "title": "NASA JPL: Energy Storage Technologies for Future Planetary Science Missions", "type": "report", "url": "https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/system/downloadable_items/716_Energy_Storage_Tech_Report_FINAL.PDF", "year": 2017 }, { "title": "Influence of cathode materials on thermal characteristics of lithium-ion batteries (open access)", "type": "paper", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "year": 2024 }, { "title": "Advancements and challenges in high-capacity Ni-rich cathode materials (open access)", "type": "paper", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040801", "year": 2024 } ], "gaps": [ "Density (g/cm3): no source opened yet.", "Electronic conductivity: a 2015 paper (Amin, Ravnsbaek, Chiang, J. Electrochem. Soc. 162, A1163) measured it versus lithium content; its numbers were not read.", "Volume change on cycling: no percentage found; only a microcrack area fraction.", "Cold-temperature capacity retention of NCA: no sourced value found.", "NCA in Saft VES16 and other space cells: only a distributor listing says so; not used. Which cell and cathode NASA's InSight and Mars 2020 batteries use is not stated beyond the table entry.", "Moisture sensitivity: no humidity, time or capacity-loss number found for NCA itself.", "Material-level DSC for charged NCA is secondhand (a review of Belharouak 2006); the original was not opened.", "Radiation, vacuum or thermal-vacuum test results specific to NCA: none found." ], "story": { "why": "NCA (lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide, usually LiNi₀.₈Co₀.₁₅Al₀.₀₅O₂) is a nickel-rich layered cathode with the same R-3m layered structure as LiCoO₂. It stores more charge than lithium cobalt oxide while using less cobalt, which is why it is used in electric-vehicle cells. NASA lists it for the InSight and Mars 2020 battery systems. Its weak points are thermal stability of the charged cathode, sensitivity to moisture and CO₂ in air, and a shorter cycle life than some rivals, all of which grow as the nickel fraction rises.", "uses": [ { "where": "Electric-vehicle cells", "line": "A 2023 review reports that Tesla Model S, X and 3 batteries use NCA, and a 2026 review says Tesla has historically used NCA for its long-range vehicles." }, { "where": "Mars landers and rovers", "line": "NASA's 2017 assessment lists the InSight lander (launch May 2018) and the Mars 2020 rover (launch listed as summer 2020) as using lithium-ion NCA batteries. The table was written before these launches. Earlier Mars rovers and landers are listed with NCO, a nickel-cobalt oxide without aluminium, not NCA." } ], "can_do": [ { "label": "Capacity", "line": "The theoretical specific capacity is quoted as 278 mAh/g for the general LiNiₓCo_yAl_zO₂ family. A literature comparison table gives about 200 mAh/g for LiNi₀.₈Co₀.₁₅Al₀.₀₅O₂, at an operating range of 3.6 to 4.3 V versus Li/Li⁺.", "scope": "material", "value": "About 200 mAh/g" }, { "label": "Thermal behavior of the cathode", "line": "In differential scanning calorimetry with electrolyte, delithiated NCA released 1,460 J/g with onset at 250 °C, against 790 J/g for NMC111. By 600 °C it had lost 11 wt% as oxygen, against 6% for NMC111. These are second-hand figures from a review.", "scope": "material", "value": "Onset at 250 °C" }, { "label": "Thermal behavior of a cell", "line": "A fully charged 3.0 Ah NCA/graphite 18650 cell began to heat itself at 101.71 °C, ran away at 165.44 °C and reached 491.84 °C. The paper rates NCA the second most hazardous of the four chemistries it tested, after LCO.", "scope": "material", "value": "Peaked at 492 °C" }, { "label": "Cycle life", "line": "A review states a general range of 500 to 1,500 cycles for NCA, against 1,500 to 2,000 for NMC, without giving the depth of discharge, rate or end-of-life criterion, so the range is indicative only. NASA's assessment ranks cathode cycle life as LiFePO₄ > NMC > NCA > Mn spinel > LCO.", "scope": "material", "value": "500 to 1,500 cycles" }, { "label": "Cracking", "line": "After charging to 4.3 V, microcracks covered 5% of the particle cross-section for NCA80, against 14.0% for NCA88 and 25.7% for NCA95. Cracking is linked to the abrupt shrinkage along the c-axis at the H2 to H3 phase transition.", "scope": "material", "value": "5% of the cross-section" } ], "compare": "NCA offers more capacity per gram than LFP, about 200 mAh/g in a cell against 164 mAh/g, and more than LCO with less cobalt. Like NMC, it pays for that in heat. Charged NCA releases oxygen on heating, and the one four-chemistry test collected here ranks it second most hazardous, after LCO and far above LFP. The table compares NCA with the other cathodes in the collection.", "compare_rows": [ { "label": "Practical capacity", "benchmark": "practical_capacity", "scope": "material" }, { "label": "Avg voltage", "benchmark": "avg_voltage", "scope": "material" }, { "label": "Theoretical capacity", "benchmark": "theoretical_capacity", "scope": "material" } ], "handling": [], "good_for": [ "High specific capacity and energy from a layered oxide that uses less cobalt than LCO.", "Established use in electric-vehicle cells and in NASA's Mars battery systems." ], "watch_out": [ "A charged cathode releases oxygen on heating, with a high-heat exotherm that can burn the electrolyte.", "Surface compounds form readily in air because the material reacts with moisture and CO₂, which costs capacity at high voltage.", "Cycle life is shorter than for some rivals, and microcracking from the H2 to H3 transition grows as the nickel fraction rises." ], "verdict": "NCA is the high-capacity, low-cobalt choice. It needs a strong battery management system and cooling, because a charged cell releases oxygen and fails hot.", "recipe": { "line": "The composition every number on this page refers to is LiNi₀.₈Co₀.₁₅Al₀.₀₅O₂. For each lithium atom, 0.8 of the metal sites hold nickel, 0.15 hold cobalt and 0.05 hold aluminium, with two oxygen atoms.", "parts": [ { "name": "Lithium", "symbol": "Li", "role": "The mobile species. Lithium ions leave and re-enter the layers as the cell charges and discharges.", "atoms": 1, "atomic_weight": 6.94 }, { "name": "Nickel", "symbol": "Ni", "role": "The main redox center. Nickel supplies most of the capacity, and more nickel means more capacity per gram.", "atoms": 0.8, "atomic_weight": 58.693 }, { "name": "Cobalt", "symbol": "Co", "role": "Stabilizes the layered structure. NCA uses less cobalt than LCO.", "atoms": 0.15, "atomic_weight": 58.933 }, { "name": "Aluminium", "symbol": "Al", "role": "Described by the review as a structural stabiliser that improves durability.", "atoms": 0.05, "atomic_weight": 26.982 }, { "name": "Oxygen", "symbol": "O", "role": "Bonds with the metals to form the oxide layers.", "atoms": 2, "atomic_weight": 15.999 } ] }, "risk_groups": [ { "title": "For people", "lead": "NCA powder is classified as a skin sensitiser and a suspected carcinogen. Check the safety data sheet of the exact powder.", "points": [ { "label": "A supplier sheet", "line": "A supplier safety data sheet (MSE Supplies, revision 12 February 2019) classifies it as skin sensitisation category 1 (may cause an allergic skin reaction) and carcinogenicity category 2 (suspected of causing cancer), with the signal word Danger. It lists no occupational exposure limit." }, { "label": "Database entries", "line": "PubChem, from 49 ECHA notifications, reports H317 (skin sensitisation) in 98% and H351 (suspected carcinogen) in 95.9% of reports, with the signal word Warning." }, { "label": "Dust", "line": "Avoid dust formation. The safety data sheet calls for gloves, a face shield and a particle respirator (N100 or P3), and for the powder to be stored locked up." } ], "level": 2, "verdict": "Skin sensitiser, suspected carcinogen" }, { "title": "If a cell overheats", "lead": "These results come from laboratory tests, not from incidents in the field.", "points": [ { "label": "A charged 18650 cell", "line": "A 3.0 Ah NCA/graphite cell at 100% state of charge, heated adiabatically, began to heat itself at 101.71 °C, ran away at 165.44 °C and peaked at 491.84 °C. The authors attribute the first onset to decomposition of the film on the anode. They note that for the non-LFP cells the peak is above the autoignition temperature of diethyl carbonate (445 °C)." }, { "label": "Oxygen release", "line": "The layered oxide loses lattice oxygen when heated, and the resulting high-heat exotherm burns the electrolyte. An overcharged NCA changes from layered to spinel to rock salt above about 200 °C." }, { "label": "Gas and pressure", "line": "Nickel-rich oxides give off reactive oxygen, CO and CO₂ when charged. The gas raises the internal pressure and can crack the electrode." }, { "label": "Cracking", "line": "Above about 4.15 V, abrupt shrinkage along the c-axis cracks the secondary particles. Fresh surfaces meet the electrolyte, a resistive layer grows and capacity fades. The effect appears strongly only at 80% nickel or more." } ] }, { "title": "Handling and storage", "points": [ { "label": "Storage", "line": "Keep the container tightly closed in a dry, well-ventilated place, and avoid dust formation." }, { "label": "Air exposure", "line": "NCA is prone to react with CO₂ and moisture in air, forming LiOH and Li₂CO₃ on the surface during preparation and storage. These residues cause side reactions and capacity loss at high voltage." }, { "label": "Battery design", "line": "A review table notes that NCA cells need a strong battery management system and cooling because of their lower thermal stability." }, { "label": "Stabilizing the material", "line": "Aluminium in the lattice acts as a structural stabiliser. Concentration-gradient particles and Mg/Al co-doping are reported to suppress the H2 to H3 transition. One doped composition kept 95.6% capacity retention in the cited study." } ] } ] }, "updated": "2026-10-16", "review": { "status": "draft", "method": "assistant", "checked_values": 9, "unreachable": 0, "caveats": 5, "note": "Re-read by an AI assistant on 2026-10-16: 9 of 9 benchmark values match their cited source; 0 could not be opened; 0 did not match." }, "sources": { "molecules-2023": { "title": "Layered-Oxide Cathode Materials for Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Review", "id": "doi:10.3390/molecules28104007", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28104007", "year": 2023, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" }, "ijms-nano-2026": { "title": "Nanostructured Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries: Synthesis, Morphology, and Performances", "id": "doi:10.3390/ijms27156797", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27156797", "year": 2026, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" }, "ahangari-2024": { "title": "Advancements and Challenges in High-Capacity Ni-Rich Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries", "id": "doi:10.3390/ma17040801", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040801", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" }, "yuan-2024": { "title": "Influence of cathode materials on thermal characteristics of lithium-ion batteries", "id": "doi:10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2024.1324840", "year": 2024, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY" }, "yang-2026": { "title": "A Review of Failure Modes and Safety Strategies of Lithium-Ion Batteries from Materials to Systems", "id": "doi:10.1002/advs.76228", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.76228", "year": 2026, "kind": "paper", "license": "CC BY 4.0" }, "nasa-jpl-estorage": { "title": "Energy Storage Technologies for Future Planetary Science Missions", "id": "JPL D-101146", "url": "https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/system/downloadable_items/716_Energy_Storage_Tech_Report_FINAL.PDF", "year": 2017, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain" }, "sds-nca-mse": { "title": "Safety Data Sheet: Lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (PO0180), MSE Supplies LLC, version 3.1", "id": "CAS 193214-24-3", "url": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0722/7785/files/MSE-NCA-SDS.pdf", "year": 2019, "kind": "datasheet", "license": "supplier document, cited for facts only" }, "pubchem-nca": { "title": "PubChem: Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Oxide (CID 22610795), GHS classification", "id": "CID 22610795", "url": "https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/22610795", "year": 2026, "kind": "database", "license": "public domain" }, "usgs-nickel-2026": { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Nickel", "id": "USGS MCS 2026", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-nickel.pdf", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain" }, "usgs-cobalt-2026": { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Cobalt", "id": "USGS MCS 2026", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-cobalt.pdf", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain" }, "usgs-lithium-2026": { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Lithium", "id": "USGS MCS 2026", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-lithium.pdf", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain" }, "usgs-aluminum-2026": { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum", "id": "USGS MCS, February 2026", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain" }, "usgs-bauxite-2026": { "title": "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Bauxite and Alumina (recycling figure from the Aluminum chapter)", "id": "USGS MCS 2026", "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-bauxite-alumina.pdf", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain" }, "crs-usgs-list-2026": { "title": "U.S. Geological Survey's Critical Minerals List (CRS In Focus IF13145, 7 Jan 2026), summarising the Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals", "id": "CRS IF13145", "url": "https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/IF13145.html", "year": 2026, "kind": "report", "license": "public domain (Congressional Research Service)" }, "eu-crma-2024": { "title": "Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Annex II, list of critical raw materials (EUR-Lex text)", "id": "Regulation (EU) 2024/1252", "url": "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj", "year": 2024, "kind": "standard", "license": "EU legislation, reuse permitted" } }, "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "url": "https://spacemushroom.com/profiles/nca/" }