Difficulties, strategies, and recent research and development of layered sodium transition metal oxide cathode materials for high-energy sodium-ion batteries

Energy-storage systems and their production have attracted significant interest for practical applications.Batteries are the foundation of sustainable energy sources for electric vehicles(EVs),portable electronic devices(PEDs),etc.In recent decades,Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) have been extensively utilized in largescale energy storage devices owing to their long cycle life and high energy density.However,the high cost and limited availability of Li are the two main obstacles for LIBs.In this regard,sodium-ion batteries(SIBs) are attractive alternatives to LIBs for large-scale energy storage systems because of the abundance and low cost of sodium materials.Cathode is one of the most important components in the battery,which limits cost and performance of a battery.Among the classified cathode structures,layered structure materials have attracted attention because of their high ionic conductivity,fast diffusion rate,and high specific capacity.Here,we present a comprehensive review of the classification of layered structures and the preparation of layered materials.Furthermore,the review article discusses extensively about the issues of the layered materials,namely(1) electrochemical degradation,(2) irreversible structural changes,and(3) structural instability,and also it provides strategies to overcome the issues such as elemental phase composition,a small amount of elemental doping,structural design,and surface alteration for emerging SIBs.In addition,the article discusses about the recent research development on layered unary,binary,ternary,quaternary,quinary,and senary-based O3-and P2-type cathode materials for high-energy SIBs.This review article provides useful information for the development of high-energy layered sodium transition metal oxide P2 and O3-cathode materials for practical SIBs.

Recent progress in Ni-rich layered oxides and related cathode materials for Li-ion cells

Undoubtedly,the enormous progress observed in recent years in the Ni-rich layered cathode materials has been crucial in terms of pushing boundaries of the Li-ion battery(LIB)technology.The achieved improvements in the energy density,cyclability,charging speed,reduced costs,as well as safety and stability,already contribute to the wider adoption of LIBs,which extends nowadays beyond mobile electronics,power tools,and electric vehicles,to the new range of applications,including grid storage solutions.With numerous published papers and broad reviews already available on the subject of Ni-rich oxides,this review focuses more on the most recent progress and new ideas presented in the literature references.The covered topics include doping and composition optimization,advanced coating,concentration gradient and single crystal materials,as well as innovations concerning new electrolytes and their modification,with the application of Ni-rich cathodes in solid-state batteries also discussed.Related cathode materials are briefly mentioned,with the high-entropy approach and zero-strain concept presented as well.A critical overview of the still unresolved issues is given,with perspectives on the further directions of studies and the expected gains provided.

Recent Progress and Regulation Strategies of Layered Materials as Cathode of Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries(ZIBs)have shown great potential in the fields of wearable devices,consumer electronics,and electric vehicles due to their high level of safety,low cost,and multiple electron transfer.The layered cathode materials of ZIBs hold a stable structure during charge and discharge reactions owing to the ultrafast and straightforward(de)intercalation-type storage mechanism of Zn^(2+)ions in their tunable interlayer spacing and their abilities to accommodate other guest ions or molecules.Nevertheless,the challenges of inadequate energy density,dissolution of active materials,uncontrollable byproducts,increased internal pressure,and a large de-solvation penalty have been deemed an obstacle to the development of ZIBs.In this review,recent strategies on the structure regulation of layered materials for aqueous zinc-ion energy storage devices are systematically summarized.Finally,critical science challenges and future outlooks are proposed to guide and promote the development of advanced cathode materials for ZIBs.

Degradation analysis and doping modification optimization for high-voltage P-type layered cathode in sodium-ion batteries

Advancing high-voltage stability of layered sodium-ion oxides represents a pivotal avenue for their progress in energy storage applications.Despite this,a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underpinning their structural deterioration at elevated voltages remains insufficiently explored.In this study,we unveil a layer delamination phenomenon of Na_(0.67)Ni_(0.3)Mn_(0.7)O_(2)(NNM)within the 2.0-4.3 V voltage,attributed to considerable volumetric fluctuations along the c-axis and lattice oxygen reactions induced by the simultaneous Ni^(3+)/Ni^(4+)and anion redox reactions.By introducing Mg doping to diminished Ni-O antibonding,the anion oxidation-reduction reactions are effectively mitigated,and the structural integrity of the P2 phase remains firmly intact,safeguarding active sites and precluding the formation of novel interfaces.The Na_(0.67)Mg_(0.05)Ni_(0.25)Mn_(0.7)O_(2)(NMNM-5)exhibits a specific capacity of100.7 mA h g^(-1),signifying an 83%improvement compared to the NNM material within the voltage of2.0-4.3 V.This investigation underscores the intricate interplay between high-voltage stability and structural degradation mechanisms in layered sodium-ion oxides.

Reversible Mn^(2+)/Mn^(4+)double-electron redox in P3-type layer-structured sodium-ion cathode

The balance between cationic redox and oxygen redox in layer-structured cathode materials is an important issue for sodium batteries to obtain high energy density and considerable cycle stability.Oxygen redox can contribute extra capacity to increase energy density,but results in lattice instability and capacity fading caused by lattice oxygen gliding and oxygen release.In this work,reversible Mn^(2+)/Mn^(4+)redox is realized in a P3-Na_(0.65)Li_(0.2)Co_(0.05)Mn_(0.75)O_(2)cathode material with high specific capacity and structure stability via Co substitution.The contribution of oxygen redox is suppressed significantly by reversible Mn^(2+)/Mn^(4+)redox without sacrificing capacity,thus reducing lattice oxygen release and improving the structure stability.Synchrotron X-ray techniques reveal that P3 phase is well maintained in a wide voltage window of 1.5-4.5 V vs.Na^(+)/Na even at 10 C and after long-term cycling.It is disclosed that charge compensation from Co/Mn-ions contributes to the voltage region below 4.2 V and O-ions contribute to the whole voltage range.The synergistic contributions of Mn^(2+)/Mn^(4+),Co^(2+)/Co^(3+),and O^(2-)/(O_n)^(2-)redox in P3-Na_(0.65)Li_(0.2)Co_(0.05)Mn_(0.75)O_(2)lead to a high reversible capacity of 215.0 m A h g^(-1)at 0.1 C with considerable cycle stability.The strategy opens up new opportunities for the design of high capacity cathode materials for rechargeable batteries.

Surface-engineering of layered LiNi_(0.815)Co_(0.15)Al_(0.035)O_2 cathode material for high-energy and stable Li-ion batteries

Surface engineering is an effective strategy to restrain the generation of rocksalt NiO phase on surface of layered LiNi0.815Co0.15Al0.035O2（NCA） primary nanoparticles, a representative Ni-rich layered oxides cathode materials. Herein, we demonstrate the kilogram-scale synthesis of few-layer reduced graphene oxide（rGO） conformably coated NCA primary nanoparticles cathode materials by a mechanical wet ball-milling strategy. The lightening rGO coating layer effectively avoids the direct contact of electrolyte and NCA with rapid electrons transfer. As a result, the as-obtained NCA@rGO hybrids with only 1.0 wt% rGO content can deliver a high specific capacity（196 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C） and fast charge/discharge capability（127 mAh g-1 at 5 C）, which is much higher than the corresponding NCA nanoparticles（95 mAh g-1 at 5 C）. Even after100 cycles at 1 C, 91.7% of initial reversible capacity is still maintained. Furthermore, a prismatic pouch cell（240 mAh） is also successfully assembled with the commercial graphite anode.

Thermodynamically Revealing the Essence of Order and Disorder Structures in Layered Cathode Materials

Layered transition metal(TM) oxides are one of the most widely used cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. The atomic configuration in TM layer of these materials is often known to be random when multiple TM elements co-exist in the layer(e.g. Ni, Co and Mn). By contrast, the configuration tends to be ordered if the elements are Li and Mn. Here, by using special quasi-random structures(SQS) algorithm, the essential reasons of the ordering in a promising Li-rich Mn-based cathode material Li2MnO3 are investigated. The difference of internal energy and entropy between ordered and disordered materials is calculated. As a result, based on the Gibbs free energy, it is found that Li2MnO3 should have an ordered structure in TM layer. In comparison, structures with Ni-Mn ratio of 2:1 are predicted to have a disordered TM layer, because the entropy terms have larger impact on the structural ordering than internal energy terms.

Recent Progress and Prospects of Layered Cathode Materials for Potassium-ion Batteries

Layered materials with two-dimensional ion diffusion channels and fast kinetics are attractive as cathode materials for secondary batteries.However,one main challenge in potassium-ion batteries is the large ion size of K^(+),along with the strong K^(+)-K^(+)electrostatic repulsion.This strong interaction results in initial K deficiency,greater voltage slope,and lower specific capacity between set voltage ranges for layered transition metal oxides.In this review,a comprehensive review of the latest advancements in layered cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries is presented.Except for layered transition metal oxides,some polyanionic compounds,chalcogenides,and organic materials with the layered structure are introduced separately.Furthermore,summary and personal perspectives on future optimization and structural design of layered cathode materials are constructively discussed.We strongly appeal to the further exploration of layered polyanionic compounds and have demonstrated a series of novel layered structures including layered K_(3)V_(2)(PO_(4))_(3).

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of layered Li[Ni_(1/3)Co_(1/3)Mn_(1/3)]O_2 cathode materialfor Li-ion batteries

Layered LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 materials were synthesized using a nickel-cobalt-manganese carbonate precursor obtained by chemical co-precipitation. The [Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3]CO3 precursor and the LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD） and scanning electron micrograph（SEM）. The SEM analysis shows that these particles possess uniform and spherical morphology. The electrochemical properties of the (LiNi1/3-)(Co1/3Mn1/3O2) cathode material for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries such as the galvanostatic charge-discharge performance and cyclic voltammetry（CV） were measured. The results show that an initial discharge capacity of 190.29mA·h·g-1 is obtained in the voltage range of 2.54.6V and at a current rate of 0.1C at 25℃.The discharge capacity increases linearly with the increase of the upper cut-off voltage limit.

Unlocking high-rate O3 layered oxide cathode for Na-ion batteries via ion migration path modulation

O3-NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2is a promising layered cathode material with high specific capacity,low cost,and simple synthesis.However,sluggish kinetic hindrance is attributed to the size discrepancy between the large Na-ion and narrow tetrahedral interstitial positions,leading to inferior rate capacity and low reversible capacity.Herein,F with light-weight and strong electronegativity is introduced to substitute O atoms in the bulk structure,which intensifies the bond strength of transition metal and oxygen and enlarges the Na+diffusion channel.In addition,density-functional theory(DFT) calculations demonstrate that the electrostatic interaction is weakened between Na+in the tetrahedral site and the transitionmetal cation directly below it,dramatically reducing the migration barriers of Na+diffusion.Consequently,the as-obtained NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O1.95F0.05sample displays outstanding rate performance of 86.7 mA h g^(-1)at 10 C and excellent capacity retention of 84.1% after 100 cycles at 2 C.Moreover,a full cell configuration using a hard carbon anode reaches the energy density of 307.7 Wh kg^(-1).This strategy paves the way for novel means of modulating the Na-ion migration path for high-rate O3-type layered cathode materials.

Review of the electrochemical performance and interfacial issues of high-nickel layered cathodes in inorganic all-solid-state batteries

All-solid-state batteries potentially exhibit high specific energy and high safety,which is one of the development directions for nextgeneration lithium-ion batteries.The compatibility of all-solid composite electrodes with high-nickel layered cathodes and inorganic solid electrolytes is one of the important problems to be solved.In addition,the interface and mechanical problems of high-nickel layered cathodes and inorganic solid electrolyte composite electrodes have not been thoroughly addressed.In this paper,the possible interface and mechanical problems in the preparation of high-nickel layered cathodes and inorganic solid electrolytes and their interface reaction during charge–discharge and cycling are reviewed.The mechanical contact problems from phenomena to internal causes are also analyzed.Uniform contact between the high-nickel cathode and solid electrolyte in space and the ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte are the prerequisites for the good performance of a high-nickel layered cathode.The interface reaction and contact loss between the high-nickel layered cathode and solid electrolyte in the composite electrode directly affect the passage of ions and electrons into the active material.The buffer layer constructed on the high-nickel cathode surface can prevent direct contact between the active material and electrolyte and slow down their interface reaction.An appropriate protective layer can also slow down the interface contact loss by reducing the volume change of the high-nickel layered cathode during charge and discharge.Finally,the following recommendations are put forward to realize the development vision of high-nickel layered cathodes:(1)develop electrochemical systems for high-nickel layered cathodes and inorganic solid electrolytes;(2)elucidate the basic science of interface and electrode processes between high-nickel layered cathodes and inorganic solid electrolytes,clarify the mechanisms of the interfacial chemical and electrochemical reactions between the two materials,and address the intrinsic safety issues;(3)strengthen the development of research and engineering technologies and their preparation methods for composite electrodes with high-nickel layered cathodes and solid electrolytes and promote the industrialization of all-solid-state batteries.

Novel Cathode Materials for Sodium Ion Batteries Derived from Layer Structured Titanate Cs₂Ti₅O₁₁·(1 + x)H₂O

A layer structured titanate Cs2Ti5O11·(1 + x)H2O (x = 0.70) has been prepared in a solid state reaction using Cs2CO3 and anatase type TiO2 at 900°C. Ion exchange reactions of Cs+ in the interlayer space were studied in aqueous solutions. The single phases of Li+, Na+ and H+ exchange products were obtained. The three kinds of resulting titanates were evaluated for use as the cathodes in rechargeable sodium batteries after dehydrations by heating at 200°C in a vacuum. The electrochemical measurements showed that they exhibited the reversible Na+ intercalation-deintercalation in a voltage range of 0.5 - 3.5 V or 0.7 - 4.0 V. The Li+ exchange product showed the best performance of the discharge-charge capacities in this study. The initial Na+ intercalation-deintercalation capacities of the Li2Ti5O11 were 120 mAh/g and 100 mAh/g;the amounts of Na+ correspond to 1.9 and 1.6 of the formula unit, respectively. The titanates are nontoxic, inexpensive and environmentally benign.

Mitigated lattice distortion and oxygen loss of Li-rich layered cathode materials through anion/cation regulation by Ti^(4+)-substitution

Lithium-rich layered cathode material(LLM)can meet the requirement of power lithium-ion energy storage devices due to the great energy density.However,the de/intercalation of Li+will cause the irreversible loss of lattice oxygen and trigger transition metal(TM)ions migrate to Li+vacancies,resulting in capacity decay.Here we brought Ti4+in substitution of TM ions in Li_(1.2)Mn_(0.54)Ni_(0.13)Co_(0.13)O_(2),which could stabilize structure and expand the layer spacing of LLM.Moreover,optimized Ti-substitution can regulate the anions and cations of LLM,enhance the interaction with lattice oxygen,increase Ni^(3+) and Co^(3+),and improve Mn^(4+) coordination,improving reversibility of oxygen redox activation,maintaining the stable framework and facilitating the Li^(+) diffusion.Furthermore,we found 5%Ti-substitution sample delivered a high discharge capacity of 244.2 mAh/g at 50 mA/g,an improved cycling stability to 87.3%after 100 cycles and enhanced rate performance.Thereby Ti-substitution gives a new pathway to achieve high reversible cycle retention for LLMs.

Spray pyrolysis synthesis of nickel-rich layered cathodes LiNi_(1-2x)Co_xMn_xO_2(x = 0.075, 0.05, 0.025) for lithium-ion batteries

In this study we report a series of nickel-rich layered cathodes LiNi1-2xCoxMnxO2（x = 0.075, 0.05,0.025） prepared from chlorides solution via ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. SEM images illustrate that the samples are submicron-sized particles and the particle sizes increase with the increase of Ni content.LiNi0.85Co0.075Mn0.075O2 delivers a discharge capacity of 174.9 mAh g-1 with holding 93% reversible capacity at 1 C after 80 cycles, and can maintain a discharge capacity of 175.3 mAh g-1 at 5 C rate. With increasing Ni content, the initial specific capacity increases while the cycling and rate performance degrades in some extent. These satisfying results demonstrate that spray pyrolysis is a powerful and efficient synthesis technology for producing Ni-rich layered cathode（Ni content 〉 80%）.

Preparation of Li[Ni_(1/3)Co_(1/3)Mn_(1/3)]O_2 powders for cathode material in secondary battery by solid-state method

Employing Li2CO3, NiO, Co3O4, and MnCO3 powders as starting materials, Li[Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3]O2 was synthesized by solid-state reaction method. Various grinding aids were applied during milling in order to optimize the synthesis process. After successive heat treatments at 650 and 950 ℃, the prepared powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The powders prepared by adding salt (NaCl) as grinding aid exhibit a clear R3m layer structure. The powders by other grinding aids like heptane show some impurity peaks in the XRD pattern. The former powders show a uniform particle size distribution of less than 1 μm average size while the latter shows a wide distribution ranging from 1 to 10 μm. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysiss show that the ratio of Ni, Co, and Mn content in the powder is approximately 1/3, 1/3, and 1/3, respecively. The EDX data indicate no incorporation of sodium or chlorine into the powders. Charge-discharge tests gave an initial discharge capacity of 160 mAh·g-1 for the powders with NaCl addition while 70 mAh·g-1 for the powders with heptane.

Direct Synthesis of Al_2O_3-modified Li(Ni_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3))O_2 Cathode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

To improve the cyclic stability at high temperature and thermal stability, the spherical Al2O3-modified Li（Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3）O2 was synthesized by a modified co-precipitation method, and the physical and electrochemical properties were studied. The TEM images showed that Li（Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3）O2 was modified successfully with nano-Al2O3. The discharge capacity retention of Al2O3-modified Li（Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3）O2 maintained about 99% after 200 cycles at high temperature（55 ℃）, while that of the bare one was only 86%. Also, unlike bare Li（Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3）O2, the Al2O3-modified material cathode exhibited good thermal stability.

Effect of particle micro-structure on the electrochemical properties of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) cathode material

Ni-rich layered material is a kind of high-capacity cathode to meet the requirement of electric vehicles.As for the typical LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) material,the particle formation is significant for electrochemical properties of the cathode.In this work,the structure,morphology,and electrochemical performance of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) secondary particles and single crystals were systematically studied.A lower Ni^(2+)/Ni^(3+)molar ratio of 0.66 and a lower residual alkali content of 0.228wt%were achieved on the surface of the single crystals.In addition,the single crystals showed a discharge capacity of 191.6 mAh/g at 0.2 C(~12 mAh/g lower than that of the secondary particles)and enhanced the electrochemical stability,especially when cycled at 50℃ and in a wider electrochemical window(between 3.0 and 4.4 V vs.Li+/Li).The LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) secondary particles were suitable for applications requiring high specific capacity,whereas single crystals exhibited better stability,indicating that they are more suitable for use in long life requested devices.

Application of high energy X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement in layered lithium transition metal oxide cathode materials

Layered lithium transition metal oxide(LTMO)cathode materials have attracted much attention for lithium-ion batteries and are shining in the current market.Establishing a clear structure-performance relationship is necessary for the performance improvement of LTMO cathode materials.The combination of synchrotron X-ray diffraction(XRD)with high intensity and XRD Rietveld refinement is powerful for revealing the structural characteristics of LTMO cathode materials.This review summarizes the application of high energy XRD and Rietveld refinement in LTMO cathode materials,including the brief introduction of synchrotron XRD and Rietveld refinement and their applications in understanding the structural evolution related to the synthetic,thermal runaway,cycling,and high-rate charge/discharge process of LTMO cathode materials.Synchrotron XRD can provide insights into the intermediates and reaction paths in the synthesis process,the origin of thermal runaway,the mechanism of structural decay during cycles,and the structural evolution during high-rate charging/discharging.Future works should focus on the development of higher intensity X-rays to gain more in-depth insights into the intrinsic relationship between their structural characteristics and properties.

Synthesis of Cu-Doped Layered Transition Metal Oxide Cathode Materials Directly from Metal-Organic Frameworks for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Mn-based layered transition metal oxides are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)because of their high theoretical capacities,abundant raw materials,and environment-friendly advantages.However,they often show insufficient performance due to intrinsic issues including poor structural stability and dissolution of Mn^(3+).Atomic doping is an effective way to address these structural degradation issues.Herein,we reported a new synthesis strategy of a Cu-doped layered cathode by directly calcinating a pure metal-organic framework.Benefiting from the unique structure of MOF with atomic-level Cu doping,a homogeneous Cu-doped layered compound P2-Na_(0.674)Cu_(0.01)Mn_(0.99)O_(2) was obtained.The Cu substitution promotes the crystal structural stability and suppresses the dissolution of Mn,thus preventing the structure degradation of the layered cathode materials.A remarkably enhanced cyclability is realized for the Cu-doped cathode compared with that without Cu doping,with 83.8%capacity retention after 300 cycles at 100 mA·g^(-1).Our findings provide new insights into the design of atomic-level doping layered cathode materials constructed by MOFs for high-performance SIBs.

Advances of high-performance LiNi_(1-x-y)Co_(x)M_(y)O_(2) cathode materials and their precursor particles via co-precipitation process

Layered LiNi_(1-x-y)Co_(x)M_(y)O_(2)(M=Mn or Al)is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high specific capacity and acceptable manufacturing cost.However,the polycrystalline LiNi_(1-x-y)Co_(x)M_(y)O_(2) cathode material suffers from disordered orientation of primary particles and poor geometric symmetry of secondary particles,which severely hampers the migration of Lit ions.Furthermore,the resulting anisotropy accelerates the disintegration of the secondary particle structure,significantly affecting the electrochemical performance of the polycrystalline cathode.In spite of less grain boundary,the single-crystal LiNi_(1-x-y)Co_(x)M_(y)O_(2) cathodes still suffer from severe microcracks generated by repeated planar gliding during cycling,which poses a great challenge to the cycling stability of single-crystal materials.It's worth noting that the microstructure of the cathode material is mainly inherited from its precursor.Therefore,it is necessary to deeply understand the influence of the microstructure of Ni_(1-x-y)Co_(x)M_(y)(OH)2 on the electrochemical properties of LiNi_(1-x-y)Co_(x)M_(y)O_(2) cathode materials,so as to optimize the production process of preparing high-performance cathode precursors.In this review,we summarize recent advances in the research and development of Ni-rich cathode precursor materials.Firstly,the challenges faced by the Ni-rich hydroxide precursor materials are presented,including the effect of primary particle morphology and arrangement on the electrochemical performance of cathode materials,the influence of secondary particle morphology on lithium insertion reactions in cathode,and the effect of particle size on the microcracking of single-crystal particles.Secondly,the presentation of the conventional co-precipitation reactor,the mechanism of precursor particle growth,and the influence of coprecipitation parameters are described in detail.Finally,the strategies are systematically discussed to solve the challenges of hydroxide precursors,such as the innovation and optimization on reactants,synthesis processes,and reaction equipment.To obtain satisfactory high-quality precursor materials,future work will require an in-depth understanding of the reaction mechanism,combined with simulation techniques such as flow field theory calculations to guide the synthesis of precursors.This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current progresses on the producing technologies of highperformance cathode precursors and offers prospects for future industry developments.