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 elem...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.展开更多
基金Supported by National Key R&D Program of China(2016YFB0700600)Soft Science Research Project of Guangdong Province(No.2017B030301013)
文摘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.