{
  "node": {
    "id": "term:precursor",
    "type": "Term",
    "label": "Precursor cathode active material",
    "properties": {
      "id": "precursor",
      "name": "Precursor cathode active material",
      "abbr": "pCAM",
      "section": "topic-manufacturing",
      "definition": "The mixed nickel–manganese–cobalt hydroxide made by co-precipitation from metal sulfate solutions, before lithium is added. Its particle size and shape are set here and carried through to the finished NMC powder.",
      "related": [
        "cathode-active-material",
        "calcination",
        "nmc",
        "nickel-sulfate"
      ],
      "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/precursor/",
      "mentions": [
        "particle-size",
        "cobalt",
        "manganese"
      ]
    }
  },
  "edges": [
    {
      "id": "edge:2538",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "topic:topic-manufacturing",
      "type": "belongsTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:2539",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:cathode-active-material",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:2540",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:calcination",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:2541",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:nmc",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:2542",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:nickel-sulfate",
      "type": "relatedTo",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "meaning": "Related context; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/precursor/particle-size",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:particle-size",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions",
        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/precursor/cobalt",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:cobalt",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions",
        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "edge:mentions/precursor/manganese",
      "source": "term:precursor",
      "target": "term:manganese",
      "type": "mentions",
      "properties": {
        "sourceFile": "terms.json",
        "method": "build_glossary.mention_index + mentions",
        "field": "definition",
        "meaning": "Text mention; not a causal claim"
      }
    }
  ],
  "neighbors": [
    {
      "id": "topic:topic-manufacturing",
      "type": "Topic",
      "label": "Manufacturing",
      "properties": {
        "id": "topic-manufacturing",
        "name": "Manufacturing",
        "lede": "The steps that turn powders and foils into a finished cell, in production order.",
        "context": "Place operations and quality checks in process order.",
        "example": "An electrode can meet coating mass targets but fail adhesion or moisture checks later.",
        "lesson_url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/fundamentals/cell-production/",
        "lesson_label": "Open production"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:cathode-active-material",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Cathode active material",
      "properties": {
        "id": "cathode-active-material",
        "name": "Cathode active material",
        "abbr": "CAM",
        "section": "topic-components",
        "definition": "The lithium-containing compound in the positive electrode — NMC, NCA, LFP or LCO powder — that supplies the cell’s cyclable lithium. It is the most expensive material in most cells and sets the nominal voltage and much of the energy density.",
        "related": [
          "active-material",
          "nmc",
          "lfp",
          "precursor",
          "specific-capacity"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/cathode-active-material/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "positive-electrode",
          "nominal-voltage",
          "energy-density"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:calcination",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Calcination",
      "properties": {
        "id": "calcination",
        "name": "Calcination",
        "aka": [
          "lithiation",
          "sintering of CAM"
        ],
        "section": "topic-manufacturing",
        "definition": "Firing the precursor with a lithium source — lithium carbonate or, for high-nickel materials, lithium hydroxide — at 700–900 °C in kilns to form the layered oxide. Atmosphere and temperature profile control the crystal quality.",
        "related": [
          "precursor",
          "cathode-active-material",
          "lithium-hydroxide",
          "lithium-carbonate"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/calcination/",
        "mentions": [
          "layered-oxide"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:nmc",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "NMC",
      "properties": {
        "id": "nmc",
        "name": "NMC",
        "aka": [
          "NCM",
          "nickel manganese cobalt oxide",
          "LiNiMnCoO₂"
        ],
        "section": "topic-chemistries",
        "definition": "A family of layered-oxide positive electrode materials, LiNiₓMnᵧCo₁₋ₓ₋ᵧO₂, used in many electric-vehicle cells. Variants are named by their metal ratio: NMC811 has eight parts nickel to one each of manganese and cobalt.",
        "related": [
          "cathode-active-material",
          "high-nickel",
          "nca",
          "lfp",
          "cobalt"
        ],
        "lesson": "fundamentals/cell-anatomy/#components",
        "example": {
          "title": "Read the composition label",
          "text": "NMC811 denotes nominal nickel:manganese:cobalt proportions of 8:1:1 in the transition-metal component, not 80% nickel by whole-cell mass."
        },
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/nmc/",
        "mentions": [
          "electrode",
          "positive-electrode",
          "manganese"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:nickel-sulfate",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Nickel sulfate",
      "properties": {
        "id": "nickel-sulfate",
        "name": "Nickel sulfate",
        "aka": [
          "class 1 nickel"
        ],
        "section": "topic-sustainability",
        "definition": "The battery-grade nickel chemical fed to precursor plants, made from high-purity class 1 nickel or increasingly from Indonesian laterite ore by high-pressure acid leaching. It is the largest cost in a high-nickel cathode.",
        "related": [
          "precursor",
          "nmc",
          "high-nickel",
          "critical-raw-materials"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/nickel-sulfate/",
        "mentions": [
          "cathode",
          "leaching"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:particle-size",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Particle size",
      "properties": {
        "id": "particle-size",
        "name": "Particle size",
        "aka": [
          "D50"
        ],
        "section": "topic-transport",
        "definition": "The diameter of active-material particles, usually quoted as D50, the median, in micrometres. Small particles shorten the solid diffusion path and favour power; large ones pack densely and favour energy and stability.",
        "unit": "µm",
        "related": [
          "solid-state-diffusion",
          "specific-surface-area",
          "rate-capability",
          "single-crystal"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/particle-size/",
        "mentions": [
          "diffusion"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:cobalt",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Cobalt",
      "properties": {
        "id": "cobalt",
        "name": "Cobalt",
        "section": "topic-sustainability",
        "definition": "The metal that stabilises layered-oxide cathodes, mined largely in the Democratic Republic of Congo under scrutiny for working conditions. Its price and ethics have driven the industry from LCO and NMC111 towards high-nickel and cobalt-free LFP.",
        "related": [
          "nmc",
          "lco",
          "high-nickel",
          "critical-raw-materials",
          "due-diligence"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/cobalt/",
        "mentions": []
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "term:manganese",
      "type": "Term",
      "label": "Manganese",
      "properties": {
        "id": "manganese",
        "name": "Manganese",
        "aka": [
          "manganese sulfate",
          "high-purity manganese sulfate",
          "HPMSM"
        ],
        "section": "topic-sustainability",
        "definition": "A cheap, abundant metal used in NMC, LMO and LMFP positive electrodes and in alkaline cells. Ore comes mostly from South Africa, Gabon and Australia, but about 95 % of battery-grade high-purity manganese sulfate was refined in China in 2024, which puts manganese on critical-raw-material lists despite plentiful reserves.",
        "related": [
          "nmc",
          "lmo",
          "lmfp",
          "critical-raw-materials",
          "cobalt",
          "nickel-sulfate"
        ],
        "url": "https://lemonergy.com/learn/glossary/manganese/",
        "mentions": []
      }
    }
  ]
}