Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials
Abstract Disordered rock-salt oxides and oxyfluorides are promising positive electrode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries free of nickel and cobalt. However, conventional synthesis methods rely on post-synthesis pulverization to achieve cycling-appropriate particle sizes, offering...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60946-4 |
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| author | Hoda Ahmed Moohyun Woo Nicolas Dumaresq Pablo Trevino Lara Richie Fong Sang-Jun Lee Gregory Lazaris Nauman Mubarak Nicolas Brodusch Dong-Hwa Seo Raynald Gauvin George P. Demopoulos Jinhyuk Lee |
| author_facet | Hoda Ahmed Moohyun Woo Nicolas Dumaresq Pablo Trevino Lara Richie Fong Sang-Jun Lee Gregory Lazaris Nauman Mubarak Nicolas Brodusch Dong-Hwa Seo Raynald Gauvin George P. Demopoulos Jinhyuk Lee |
| author_sort | Hoda Ahmed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Disordered rock-salt oxides and oxyfluorides are promising positive electrode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries free of nickel and cobalt. However, conventional synthesis methods rely on post-synthesis pulverization to achieve cycling-appropriate particle sizes, offering limited control over particle microstructure and crystallinity. This accelerates degradation and complicates secondary particle processing. Here we present a synthesis strategy that enhances nucleation while suppressing particle growth and agglomeration across various disordered rock-salt compositions, including lithium–manganese–titanium oxide, lithium–manganese–niobium oxide, and lithium–nickel–titanium oxide systems. Applied to Li1.2Mn0.4Ti0.4O2, this method yields highly crystalline, well-dispersed sub-200 nm particles that form homogeneous electrode films with stable cycling behavior. Tested in cells with lithium metal as the counter electrode, these electrodes deliver ~200 mAh/g with 85% capacity retention relative to the first cycle after 100 cycles (20 mA/g, 1.5–4.8 V), and an average discharge voltage loss of 4.8 mV per cycle, compared to 38.6% retention and 7.5 mV loss per cycle for electrodes derived from pulverized solid-state particles. This approach suggests a route to enhance the performance and durability of disordered rock-salt electrodes for sustainable lithium-ion batteries. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4292bb31d31d4b5e97a2ac33fdf0ab60 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-4292bb31d31d4b5e97a2ac33fdf0ab602025-08-20T03:45:31ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-60946-4Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materialsHoda Ahmed0Moohyun Woo1Nicolas Dumaresq2Pablo Trevino Lara3Richie Fong4Sang-Jun Lee5Gregory Lazaris6Nauman Mubarak7Nicolas Brodusch8Dong-Hwa Seo9Raynald Gauvin10George P. Demopoulos11Jinhyuk Lee12Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityStanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator LaboratoryDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityDepartment of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill UniversityAbstract Disordered rock-salt oxides and oxyfluorides are promising positive electrode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries free of nickel and cobalt. However, conventional synthesis methods rely on post-synthesis pulverization to achieve cycling-appropriate particle sizes, offering limited control over particle microstructure and crystallinity. This accelerates degradation and complicates secondary particle processing. Here we present a synthesis strategy that enhances nucleation while suppressing particle growth and agglomeration across various disordered rock-salt compositions, including lithium–manganese–titanium oxide, lithium–manganese–niobium oxide, and lithium–nickel–titanium oxide systems. Applied to Li1.2Mn0.4Ti0.4O2, this method yields highly crystalline, well-dispersed sub-200 nm particles that form homogeneous electrode films with stable cycling behavior. Tested in cells with lithium metal as the counter electrode, these electrodes deliver ~200 mAh/g with 85% capacity retention relative to the first cycle after 100 cycles (20 mA/g, 1.5–4.8 V), and an average discharge voltage loss of 4.8 mV per cycle, compared to 38.6% retention and 7.5 mV loss per cycle for electrodes derived from pulverized solid-state particles. This approach suggests a route to enhance the performance and durability of disordered rock-salt electrodes for sustainable lithium-ion batteries.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60946-4 |
| spellingShingle | Hoda Ahmed Moohyun Woo Nicolas Dumaresq Pablo Trevino Lara Richie Fong Sang-Jun Lee Gregory Lazaris Nauman Mubarak Nicolas Brodusch Dong-Hwa Seo Raynald Gauvin George P. Demopoulos Jinhyuk Lee Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials Nature Communications |
| title | Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials |
| title_full | Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials |
| title_fullStr | Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials |
| title_short | Nucleation-promoting and growth-limiting synthesis of disordered rock-salt Li-ion cathode materials |
| title_sort | nucleation promoting and growth limiting synthesis of disordered rock salt li ion cathode materials |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60946-4 |
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