Integrated Surface Functionalization of Li-Rich Cathode Materials for Li-Ion Batteries

As candidates for high-energy density cathodes, lithium-rich (Li-rich) layered materials have attracted wide interest for next-generation Li-ion batteries. In this work, surface functionalization of a typical Li-rich material Li_1.2Mn_0.56Ni_0.17Co_0.07O₂ is optimized by fluorine (F)-doped Li₂SnO₃ coating layer and electrochemical performances are also enhanced accordingly. The results demonstrate that F-doped Li₂SnO₃-modified material exhibits the highest capacity retention (73% after 200 cycles), with approximately 1.2, 1.4, and 1.5 times of discharge capacity for Li₂SnO₃ surface-modified, F-doped, and pristine electrodes, respectively. To reveal the fundamental enhancement mechanism, intensive surface Li⁺ diffusion kinetics, postmortem structural characteristics, and aging tests are performed for four sample systems. The results show that the integrated coating layer plays an important role in addressing interface compatibility, not only limited in stabilizing the bulk structure and suppressing side reactions, synergistically contributing to the performance enhancement for the active electrodes. These findings not only pave the way to commercial application of the Li-rich material but also shed new light on surface modification in batteries and other energy storage fields.