Acid Etching-Driven Self-Assembly of Mn-Shell Inducing Rock-Salt Phase for Enhanced Single-Crystal Ni-Rich Cathodes

Graphical Abstract

Single crystal 83Ni with a manganese-rich shell, achieved through the etching of polycrystalline particles, demonstrates significantly enhanced electrochemical properties when compared to various other counterparts. This advancement is expected to substantially drive progress in the development and manufacturing of cathodes, offering improved performance and efficiency in battery technologies.

Abstract

With the wide adoption of Li-ion batteries, Ni-rich cathode is considered as one of the most promising candidates of cathodes due to its high energy density and low cost. However, stability decreased with increasing Ni content in the Ni-rich cathode. To solve this bottleneck, many strategies, such as coating, doping, surface modification, and special morphologies, have been developed. Herein, we introduce a groundbreaking approach for enhancing Ni-rich cathode through an innovative acid etching process that promotes Mn shell self-assembly, inducing a rock-salt phase on the surface. This method not only simplifies the Ni-rich cathode modification process, but also significantly improves the structural stability and electrochemical performance of Ni-rich cathode. Our findings demonstrate that developed single-crystal Ni-rich cathode shows 3–34 % better stability compared to both commercial modified Ni-rich cathode and unmodified counterparts. The unique Mn shell effectively mitigates reversible phase shifts during cycling, contributing to a remarkable enhancement in cycling stability. This novel fabrication technique paves the way for cost-effective production of high-performance cathode materials, offering substantial benefits for lithium-ion battery technology. And this study proves the potential of this method in advancing the design and development of durable, high-capacity cathode materials for next-generation batteries.