High-Throughput Compositional and Structural Evaluation of a Lia(NixMnyCoz)Or Thin Film Battery Materials Library

A Li-a(NixMnyCoz)O-r cathode materials library was fabricated by combinatorial magnetron sputtering. The compositional analysis of the library was performed by a new high-throughput approach for Li-content measurement in thin films, which combines automated energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Deuteron-induced gamma emission, and Rutherford backscattering measurements. Furthermore, combining this approach with thickness measurements allows the mapping of density values of samples from the materials library. By correlating the obtained compositional data with structural data from high-throughput X-ray diffraction measurements, those compositions which show a layered (R (3) over barm) structure and are therefore most interesting for Li-battery applications (for cathode (positive) electrodes) can be rapidly identified. This structure was identified as being most pronounced in the compositions Li-0.6(Ni0.16Mn0.35Co0.48)O-2, Li-0.7(Ni0.10Mn0.37Co0.51)O-2, Li-0.6(Ni0.23Mn0.33Co0.43)O-2, Li-0.3(Ni0.65Mn0.08Co0.26)O-2, Li-0.3(Ni0.63Mn0.08Co0.29)O-2, Li-0.4(Ni0.56Mn0.09Co0.34)O-2, Li-0.5(Ni0.45Mn0.13Co0.42)O-2, and Li-0.6(Ni0.34Mn0.14Co0.52)O-2.