Inhibiting Lattice Distortion of Ultrahigh Nickel Co-Free Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Ultrahigh nickel cathode materials are widely utilized due to their outstanding energy and power densities. However, the presence of cobalt can cause significant lattice distortion during charge and discharge cycles, leading to the loss of active lithium, the formation of lattice cracks, and the emergence of a rock salt phase that hinders lithium-ion transport. Herein, we developed a novel cobalt-free, aluminum-doped cathode material, LiNiMnAlO (NMA), which effectively delays the harmful H2-H3 phase transition, reduces lattice distortion, alleviates stress release, and significantly enhances structural stability. Compared to commercially available Co-rich LiNiCoMnO (NCM) materials, NMA offers a cost reduction of approximately 16% while maintaining comparable capacity. Moreover, NMA exhibits superior rate performance and long-term cycling stability in both half-cell and full-cell configurations. These findings pave the way for the development of cost-effective, high-performance, and durable cobalt-free cathode materials, offering promising potential for future research and commercial applications.