Innovative battery tech achieves minimal voltage decay

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in electronic devices, while lithium- and manganese-rich (LMR) layered oxides are a promising class of cathodes for lithium-ion batteries due to their high capacity. However, their application is hindered by voltage decay. Now, researchers from City University of Hong Kong have addressed the issue by unlocking the potential of LMR cathode materials.

The researchers stabilised the honeycomb-like structure within the cathode material, resulting in longer-lasting and more efficient batteries. Their insights could transform the development of high-energy cathode materials. The team’s approach focused on stabilising the honeycomb structure at the atomic level. Incorporating additional transition metal ions into the cathode material helped to reinforce the honeycomb structure, resulting in a voltage decay of 0.02 mV per cycle.

Through advanced atomic-scale measurements and calculations, the researchers found that these interlayer transition metal ions act as a ‘cap’ above or below the honeycomb structure, preventing cation migration and maintaining stability. The structure remained intact even at high cut-off voltages and throughout cycling, thereby helping to maintain the batteries’ structural integrity.

“Our work has solved the voltage decay problem in the LMR cathode, with a capacity almost two times higher than the widely used cathode materials, ultimately paving the way for more powerful and sustainable energy storage solutions,” Professor Liu Qi said.

The researchers will now scale up the manufacturing process for large-scale battery production. The research findings were published in the journal Nature Energy.

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