Thanks for sharing. I do find these reports too conservative in...

Thanks for sharing.

I do find these reports too conservative in their projections overall and I don't see it likely that BA pricing would fall going forward. Does this mean we can effectively double the SP projections?

Also, interesting in how the reports so far miss the potential (and use) of borate additives / borate based electrolytes in lithium-ion chemistries. Mainly Lithium Bis(oxalato) Borate and Lithium Difluoro(oxalato) Borate in LiFePO4 and LiCoPO4 chemistries.

Examining the Benefits of Using Boron Compounds in Lithium Batteries: A Comprehensive Review of Literature
October 2022 Batteries 8(10):187
https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries8100187
License CC BY 4.0

With a wide examination of battery components, but a boron-centric approach to raw materials, this review attempts to summarize past and recent studies on the following: which boron compounds are studied in a lithium battery, in which parts of lithium batteries are they studied, what improvements are offered for battery performance, and what improvement mechanisms can be explained.
The uniqueness of boron and its extensive application beyond batteries contextualizes the interesting similarity with some studies on batteries.
At the end, the article aims to predict prospective trends for future studies that may lead to a more extensive use of boron compounds on a commercial scale.

• Boron and boron compounds have been extensively studied together in the history and development of lithium batteries, which are crucial to decarbonization in the automotive industry and beyond.
• The challenge to improve battery performance has made boron, in various forms of compounds, a research topic in relation to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for decades.
• Why is boron used in batteries? Boron is a unique element in many respects. Firstly, boron is lightest element of the “metalloids”, which separates metals and non-metals in the periodic table. The fact that many boron compounds are electron deficient means that they have Lewis acidic characteristics. The four covalent bonds and the variety in the molecular structures of its compounds result in a wide range of chemical properties.
• As early as the year 2000, lithium bis(oxalato)borate, also known as LiBOB, was first reported for synthesis and use in electrolytes of LIBs
• The presence of bis(oxalate)borate (BOB) anions helps the formation of a solid electrolyte interface (SEI), which is critical for the stability and long-term cyclability of graphitic anodes
• Because of the merits of being halide-free and more thermally stable than LiPF6, LiBOB has been proven beneficial either as a direct replacement for LiPF6 or as an electrolyte additive (2 wt%) in a nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA)—graphite system.