Insight into the charge/discharge behaviour of intercalation cathode materials: relation between delivered capacity and applied rate and analysis of multi-particle intercalation mechanisms.

Exploration of the relationships and mechanisms underlying the charge/discharge behaviors of intercalation cathode materials for lithium batteries is mandatory to develop more efficient energy storage devices. Thus, herein, by combining theoretical concepts and experimental evidence, we establish/reestablish a relation/model to justify the charge-discharge behavior of many electrode materials for lithium and sodium ion batteries under a wide range of conditions. Our approach resembles a phase-field model and is correlated with the existence of diffusion regions inside the electrode particles.