Enhancing cyclic and in-air stability of Ni-Rich cathodes through perovskite oxide surface coating

Ni-rich layered oxides, such as LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM811), are promising cathode materials for high-energy lithium-ion batteries. However, the relatively high reactivity of Ni in NCM811 cathodes results in severe capacity fading originating from the undesired side reactions that occur at the cathode-electrolyte interface during prolonged cycling. Therefore, the trade-off between high capacity and long cycle life can obstruct the commercialization process of Ni-rich cathodes in modern lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In addition, high sensitivity toward air upon storage greatly limits the commercial application. Herein, a facile surface modification strategy is introduced to enhance the cycling and in-air storage stability of NCM811. The NCM811 with a uniform SrTiO₃ (STO) nano-coating layer exhibited outstanding electrochemical performances that could deliver a high discharge capacity of 173.5 mAh⋅g^-1 after 200 cycles under 1C with a capacity retention of 90%. In contrast, the uncoated NCM811 only provided 65% capacity retention of 130.8 mAh⋅g^-1 under the same conditions. Structural evolution analysis suggested that the STO coating acted as a buffer layer to suppress the dissolution of transition metal ions caused by the HF attack from the electrolyte and promote the lithium diffusion during the charge-discharge process. In addition, the constructed STO layer prevented the exposure of NCM811 to H₂O and CO₂ and thus effectively improved the in-air storage stability. This work offers an effective way to enhance the performance stability of Ni-rich oxides for high-performance cathodes of lithium-ion batteries.