BASF, Umicore settle cathode suit

BASF, Argonne National Laboratory, and Umicore have agreed to settle a patent dispute over nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode materials used in lithium-ion batteries. BASF and Argonne have granted Umicore a license to make and sell the NMC materials in the U.S. The lithium-enriched, two-phase cathode material, developed by Argonne and licensed to BASF, is used in high-power applications such as batteries for the Chevy Volt hybrid electric car. BASF and Argonne sued Umicore in 2015, claiming Umicore sold cathode material that infringed on patents. Umicore lost the suit at the International Trade Commission, and the case was headed to U.S. District Court.