Surface Microstructure Engineering for Enhancing Li-Ion Diffusion and Structure Stability of Ni-Rich Cathode...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Surface microstructure is critical for nickel-rich oxide cathode performance.
• Enhancing interfacial kinetics and structural stability is key for widespread adoption.
• LiNi_0.8Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂ (NCA) is a representative high-nickel cathode material.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design a surface heterojunction structure for high-nickel cathode materials.
• To improve the interfacial characteristics, kinetics, and stability of NCA materials.
• To investigate the effect of introducing interfacial ZnO sites.

Main Methods:

• Surface heterojunction construction by introducing ZnO sites onto NCA materials (NCA@ZnO).
• Characterization of the heterointerface and its built-in electric field.
• Electrochemical testing to evaluate cycling performance and rate capability.

Main Results:

• The NCA@ZnO heterointerface generates a strong built-in electric field, enhancing electron/Li-ion diffusion.
• The ZnO layer effectively suppresses electrolyte corrosion and parasitic reactions.
• NCA@ZnO achieved 83.7% capacity retention after 160 cycles at 3 C (3.0-4.5 V).

Conclusions:

• Surface structure design is crucial for high-performance cathode materials.
• The NCA@ZnO strategy offers a viable approach for enhanced long-cycling stability.
• Optimized interface stability and kinetics lead to superior electrochemical performance.