Multiscale Defect Regulation of Cobalt-Free Layered Oxides for High-Energy and Long-Lasting Cathodes

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Reducing the reliance on cobalt in electrode chemistry is a promising step toward more sustainable and cost-effective lithium-ion batteries. However, the elimination of cobalt in layered oxides generally results in a significant decrease in capacity and/or a compromised cycle stability. Herein, we show that these intertwined issues of the cobaltless systems can be remedied by meticulously tailoring inherent defects induced at multiscale. It is demonstrated that a simple excess incorporation of lithium in the structure can effectively reduce the cation disorder and unexpectedly alter the microstructure forming routes, thereby enhancing electro-chemo-mechanical stabilities of layered cathodes. Our investigations reveal that this surplus lithium facilitates topotactic lithiation of precursors during calcination, rendering mechanically robus…