First‑principles computational insights into lithium battery cathode materials

Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)are considered to be indispensable in modern society.Major advances in LIBs depend on the development of new high-performance electrode materials,which requires a fundamental understanding of their properties.First-principles calculations have become a powerful technique in developing new electrode materials for high-energy–den-sity LIBs in terms of predicting and interpreting the characteristics and behaviors of electrode materials,understanding the charge/discharge mechanisms at the atomic scale,delivering rational design strategies for electrode materials,etc.In this review,we present an overview of first-principles calculation methods and highlight their valuable role in contemporary research on LIB cathode materials.This overview focuses on three LIB cathode scenarios,which are divided by their cati-onic/anionic redox mechanisms.Then,representative examples of rational cathode design based on theoretical predictions are presented.Finally,we present a personal perspective on the current challenges and future directions of first-principles calculations in LIBs.