Towards fast-charging high-energy lithium-ion batteries: From nano- to micro-structuring perspectives

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been playing an indispensable role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions for our modern society. However, current EVs are difficult to meet people's diverse travel needs, especially in long endurance and fast-charging capacities. At the heart of this issue is the physicochemical limit of current lithiumion batteries (LIBs), which are the core parts for powering the vehicles. Hence, LIBs with simultaneous high energy and power are critically required to further promote the development of EVs. In this review, we first summarize the key electrochemical processes in electrochemical reactions which lead to the corresponding overpotentials in or between multiple battery components. Furthermore, numerical simulations are employed to quantitatively analyze the effects of versatile electrode parameters on electrochemical properties in high-energy NMC811//graphite systems. On the basis of the in-depth understandings from simulation, recent experimental efforts on designing electroactive materials and electrode architectures across multiple length scales are discussed. Among them, nano-structuring can promote local mass transport and stabilize the interfaces at the particle level, while micro-structuring can establish efficient pathways for charge carriers at the electrode level. Finally, we conclude that a tight feedback loop among structure engineering, characterization and simulation should be followed to speed up the understanding of the deficiencies existing in current electrode designs as well as point out the possible electrode optimization routes for next-generation fast-charging LIBs.

Automated summary

Electric vehicles are important in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but current electric vehicles struggle to meet diverse travel needs, particularly in terms of long endurance and fast-charging capacities. The physicochemical limit of lithium-ion batteries, which power the vehicles, is the main issue. Therefore, high-energy and high-power lithium-ion batteries are crucial for the development of electric vehicles.