Constructing Targeted Strong Nb-O-Li Configurations to Obtain Excellent Energy Density and Long Life for Li-Rich Cathodes.

The Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials (LMRs) deliver excellent energy density and exhibit low cost, which are considered as the most promising cathode materials for the next generation lithium-ion batteries. However, the irreversible redox reaction of the oxygen atoms directly leads to release oxygen and intensifies phase transformation. Besides, the local stress and strain will be generated due to the unit-cell volume difference between R-3m and C2/m phases, which continuously aggravates the collapse of secondary particles. Herein, the strong Nb-O-Li configurations at the Li sites of the TM-layer in the C2/m phase and secondary particles with the radial arrangement of refined primary particles are designed to inhibit oxygen release and relieve lattice stress by NbO treatment. Meanwhile, the preferential growth of the active {010} planes is presented to obtain an excellent transmission rate of Li. As a result, the designed LMR delivers remarkable electrochemical properties with high discharge capacity and initial coulomb efficiency of 276 mAh g and 85 % at 0.1 C, outstanding cycling retention rate of 81 % after 300 cycles. This novel crystal structure combining oxygen coordination regulation and micro-nano scale design provides inspiration for the design of high-performance LMRs.