LiFePO₄ is a natural mineral of the olivine family (triphylite). Arumugam Manthiram and John B. Goodenough first identified the polyanion class of cathode materials for lithium ion batteries.^[12][13][14] LiFePO₄ was then identified as a cathode material belonging to the polyanion class for use in batteries in 1996 by Padhi et al.^[15][16] Reversible extraction of lithium from LiFePO₄ and insertion of lithium into FePO₄ was demonstrated. Because of its low cost, non-toxicity, the natural abundance of iron, its excellent thermal stability, safety characteristics, electrochemical performance, and specific capacity (170 mA·h/g, or 610 C/g) it has gained considerable market acceptance.^[17][18]

The chief barrier to commercialization was its intrinsically low electrical conductivity. This problem was overcome by reducing the particle size, coating the LiFePO₄ particles with conductive materials such as carbon nanotubes,^[19][20] or both. This approach was developed by Michel Armand and his coworkers at Hydro-Québec and the Université de Montréal.^{[21] [22][23]} Another approach by Yet Ming Chiang‘s group at MIT consisted of doping^[17] LFP with cations of materials such as aluminium, niobium, and zirconium.