A Surface Se-Substituted LiCo[O2-δSeδ] Cathode with Ultrastable High-Voltage Cycling in Pouch Full-Cells

Cycling LiCoO2 to above 4.5 V for higher capacity is enticing; however, hybrid O anion- and Co cation-redox (HACR) at high voltages facilitates intrinsic O-alpha(-) (alpha < 2) migration, causing oxygen loss, phase collapse, and electrolyte decomposition that severely degrade the battery cyclability. Hereby, commercial LiCoO2 particles are operando treated with selenium, a well-known anti-aging element to capture oxygen-radicals in the human body, showing an anti-aging effect in high-voltage battery cycling and successfully stopping the escape of oxygen from LiCoO2 even when the cathode is cycled to 4.62 V. Ab initio calculation and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis suggest that during deep charging, the precoated Se will initially substitute some mobile O-alpha(-) at the charged LiCoO2 surface, transplanting the pumped charges from O-alpha(-) and reducing it back to O2- to stabilize the oxygen lattice in prolonged cycling. As a result, the material retains 80% and 77% of its capacity after 450 and 550 cycles under 100 mA g(-1) in 4.57 V pouch full-cells matched with a graphite anode and an ultralean electrolyte (2 g Ah(-1)).