Negligible voltage decay for cobalt-free battery
Researchers in China have developed a cobalt-free lithium battery with minimal voltage decay using a lithium manganese-rich (LMR) layered oxide.
A research team led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) with Nanjing University and NorthWestern University in the US stabilised the unique honeycomb-like structure within the cathode material, resulting in a longer-lasting and more efficient cobalt-free battery.
By incorporating additional transition metal ions into the cathode material, the team reinforced the honeycomb structure, resulting in a negligible voltage decay of only 0.02 mV per cycle. This is the first time that LMR cathode material with such a low level of voltage decay has been reported.
The team found that these interlayer transition metal ions act as a “cap” above or below the honeycomb structure, preventing cation migration and maintaining stability. The structure remained intact even at high cut-off voltages and throughout cycling, ensuring the batteries’ structural integrity.
“Our work has solved the voltage decay problem in the LMR cathode, with a capacity almost two times higher than the widely used cathode materials, ultimately paving the way for more powerful and sustainable energy storage solutions,” said Professor Liu Qi of the Department of Physics.
These findings hold great potential for various applications, from powering electric vehicles to portable electronics. The next step involves scaling up the manufacturing process for large-scale battery production.
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