Unravelling electro-chemo-mechanical interplay in layered oxide cathode degradation in solid-state batteries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41061061.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.ady7189 and PMC identifier 12506959.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) hold notable promise for advancing energy storage technologies. However, their commercial viability is limited by the poor cycle stability and complex degradation mechanism. This study underscores the pivotal role of electro-chemo-mechanical interactions in driving the failure of SSBs. Leveraging advanced x-ray imaging and spectroscopy techniques, we analyzed LiNi<sub>0.8</sub>Mn<sub>0.1</sub>Co<sub>0.1</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (NMC811) cathodes from cycled Li<i><sub>x</sub></i>In||Li<sub>6</sub>PS<sub>5</sub>Cl (LPSC)||NMC811 SSBs, uncovering the interplay between microstructure, chemical heterogeneity, mechanical characteristics, and electrochemical performance. Our results show that revealing electro-chemo-mechanical interactions is essential to develop strategies to suppress the degradation of SSBs. Particularly, we revisit a LiNbO<sub>3</sub> (LNO) coating layer to mitigate electrochemical degradation. The LNO@NMC811 cathode retains 116 milliampere-hours per gram after 200 cycles, showing excellent stability, while the uncoated NMC811 cathode keeps degrading over time, with suppressed chemical heterogeneity and mechanical failure. This work highlights the importance of synergizing advanced material design with coating techniques, ensuring uniform lithium flux and improving mechanical properties to achieve stable, high-performance SSBs.