Effects of Mg Doping at Different Positions in Li-Rich Mn-Based Cathode Material on Electrochemical Performance

Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides are among the most promising cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, yet they suffer from capacity fading and voltage decay during cycling. The electrochemical performance of the material can be improved by doping with Mg. However, the effect of Mg doping at different positions (lithium or transition metals) remains unclear. Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 (LR) was synthesized by coprecipitation followed by a solid-state reaction. The coprecipitation stage was used to introduce Mg in TM layers (sample LR-Mg), and the solid-state reaction (st) was used to dope Mg in Li layers (LR-Mg(st)). The presence of magnesium at different positions was confirmed by XRD, XPS, and electrochemical studies. The investigations have shown that the introduction of Mg in TM layers is preferable in terms of the electrochemical performance. The sample doped with Mg at the TM positions shows better cyclability and higher discharge capacity than the undoped sample. The poor electrochemical properties of the sample doped with Mg at Li positions are due to the kinetic hindrance of oxidation of the manganese-containing species formed after activation of the Li2MnO3 component of the composite oxide. The oxide LR-Mg(st) demonstrates the lowest lithium-ion diffusion coefficient and the greatest polarization resistance compared to LR and LR-Mg.

Correlating the Voltage Hysteresis in Li- and Mn-Rich Layered Oxides to Reversible Structural Changes by Using X-ray and Neutron Powder Diffraction

Li- and Mn-rich layered oxides (LMR-NCMs) are promising cathode active materials (CAMs) in future lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high energy density. However, the material undergoes a unique open circuit voltage (OCV) hysteresis between charge and discharge after activation, which compromises its roundtrip energy efficiency and affects the thermal management requirements for an LIB system. The hysteresis is believed to be caused by transition metal (TM) migration and/or by oxygen redox activities. Using in-situ X-ray powder diffraction (XPD), we monitor the lattice parameters of over-lithiated NCMs during the initial cycles and show that also the lattice parameters feature a distinct path dependence. When correlated to the OCV instead of the state of charge (SOC), this hysteresis vanishes for the unit cell volume and gives a linear correlation that is identical for different degrees of over-lithiation. We further aimed at elucidating the role of TM migration on the hysteresis phenomena by applying joint Rietveld refinements to a series of ex-situ XPD and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) samples. We critically discuss the limitations of this approach and compare the results with DFT simulations, showing that the quantification of TM migration in LMR-NCMs by diffraction is not as straightforward as often believed.

Tungsten Infused Grain Boundaries Enabling Universal Performance Enhancement of Co-Free Ni-Rich Cathode Materials

Ni-rich cathode materials suffer from poor capacity retention due to micro-cracking and interfacial reactivity with electrolyte. Addition of tungsten (W) to some Ni-rich materials can improve capacity retention. Here, a WO3 surface coating is applied on Ni-rich hydroxide precursors before heating with lithium hydroxide. After heating in oxygen, Ni-rich materials with any of the commonly used dopants (magnesium, aluminum, manganese, etc.) show a “universal” improvement in capacity retention. Experimental characterization and theoretical modelling showed W was concentrated in the grain boundaries between the primary particles of secondary particles of the layered oxides, and W is incorporated in amorphous LixWyOz phases rather than as a substituent in the LiNiO2 lattice. This self-infusion of W in the grain boundaries during synthesis also significantly restricts primary crystallite grain growth. Along with smaller primary grain size, the LixWyOz phases in the grain boundaries lead to improved resistance to microcracking and reduced surface or interfacial reactivity. Improving the intrinsic properties of primary grains through doping of Mg, Al or Mn and reinforcing the secondary particle structure mechanically and chemically using W or a similar element, M, that forms LixMOy phases and does not substitute into LiNiO2 is a universal strategy to improve polycrystalline Ni-rich materials.

Ring Mechanism of Fast Na+Ion Transport in Na2LiFeTeO6: Insight from MolecularDynamics Simulation

Honeycomb layered oxides have attracted recent attention because of their rich crystal chemistry. However, the atomistic mechanisms of cationic transport in these structures remain vastly unexplored. Herein, we perform an extensive, systematic molecular dynamics study on Na2LiFeTeO6 using combined force-field and first-principles-based molecular dynamics simulations. We use are fined set of inter-atomic potential parameters of a previously reported potential model that represents various structural and transport properties of this recently reported promising material for all-solid-state battery applications. The present simulation study elucidates the roles of octahedral ordering and entropic contributions in Na+-ion distribution in the ab-plane. Our theoretical simulation also develops a ring-like atomistic diffusion mechanism and relevant atomistic energy barriers that help to understand the origin of fast ion conduction in honeycomb layered oxides.