Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026

In Situ Neutron Powder Diffraction Using Custom-made Lithium-ion Batteries
Published on: November 10, 2014
Intragranular cracking as a critical barrier for high-voltage usage of layer-structured cathode for lithium-ion
Pengfei Yan1, Jianming Zheng2, Meng Gu1
1Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
Abstract:
LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2-layered cathode is often fabricated in the form of secondary particles, consisting of densely packed primary particles. This offers advantages for high energy density and alleviation of cathode side reactions/corrosions, but introduces drawbacks such as intergranular cracking. Here, we report unexpected observations on the nucleation and growth of intragranular cracks in a commercial LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 cathode by using advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy. We find the formation of the intragranular cracks is directly associated with high-voltage cycling, an electrochemically driven and diffusion-controlled process. The intragranular cracks are noticed to be characteristically initiated from the grain interior, a consequence of a dislocation-based crack incubation mechanism. This observation is in sharp contrast with general theoretical models, predicting the initiation of intragranular cracks from grain boundaries or particle surfaces. Our study emphasizes that maintaining structural stability is the key step towards high-voltage operation of layered-cathode materials.
Related Concept Videos
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Ionic Crystal Structures
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects
The Electrical Double Layer

