Stabilizing surface chemistry and texture of single-crystal Ni-rich cathodes for Li-ion batteries

The single-crystalline Ni-rich cathodes are believed to help improve the safety of Li-ion batteries (LIBs), however, the ion-diffusion limits their high-rate performance owing to large single-crystal particles. Herein, a dual-modification strategy of surface Li2TiO3-coating and bulk Ti-doping has been performed to achieve high-rate single crystal LiNi0.83Co0.12Mn0.05O2 (NCM) cathode. The Li-ion conductive Li2TiO3 coating layer facilitates the Li-ion transfer and prevents the electrolyte erosion. Meanwhile, the robust Ti-O bonds stabilize the cubic close-packed oxygen framework and mitigate the Li/Ni disorder. The syn-ergy endows the dual-modified NCM with enhanced de-/lithiation reaction kinetics and stable surface chemistry. A high specific capacity of 128 mAh g(-1) is delivered even at 10 C with an extended cycle life. This finding is reckoned to pave the way for developing high energy density LIBs for long-range electric vehicles. (C) 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Automated summary

In this study, a dual-modification strategy of surface coating and bulk doping was used to achieve high-rate single crystal lithium-ion battery cathode material. By improving the surface coating and chemical stability, the cycling performance and energy density of the battery were greatly enhanced, laying the foundation for the development of long-range electric vehicles.