Microstructural Insights into Performance Loss of High-Voltage Spinel Cathodes for Lithium-ion Batteries.

Spinel-structured LiNi Mn O (LNMO), with low-cost earth-abundant constituents, is a promising high-voltage cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. Even though extensive electrochemical investigations have been conducted on these materials, few studies have explored correlations between their loss in performance and associated changes in microstructure. Here, down to the atomic scale, the structural evolution of these materials is investigated upon the progressive cycling of lithium-ion cells.

Wet-Environment-Induced Structural Alterations in Single- and Polycrystalline LLZTO Solid Electrolytes Studied by Diffraction Techniques.

LiLaZrO (LLZO) is one of the potential candidates for Li metal-based solid-state batteries owing to its high Li conductivity (≈10 S cm) at room temperature and large electrochemical stability window. However, LLZO undergoes protonation under the influence of moisture-forming LiCO layers, thereby affecting its structural and transport properties. Therefore, a detailed understanding on the impact of the exchange of H on Li sites on structural alteration and kinetics under the influence of wet environments is of great importance.

Highly Conductive Garnet-Type Electrolytes: Access to LiLaZrTaO Prepared by Molten Salt and Solid-State Methods.

Tantalum-doped garnet (LiLaZrTaO, LLZTO) is a promising candidate to act as a solid electrolyte in all-solid-state batteries owing to both its high Li conductivity and its relatively high robustness against the Li metal. Synthesizing LLZTO using conventional solid-state reaction (SSR) requires, however, high calcination temperature (>1000 °C) and long milling steps, thereby increasing the processing time. Here, we report on a facile synthesis route to prepare LLZTO using a molten salt method (MSS) at lower reaction temperatures and shorter durations (900 °C, 5 h).