Mechanofusion-derived cathode composite microstructures with scalable mixed conducting matrix coatings for solid state batteries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41932874.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-71305-2 and PMC identifier 13056986.
- 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
The successful implementation of solid state batteries not only requires the use of high-capacity anodes, but also high-performance composite cathodes. However, the production of solid state battery cathode composites with optimized microstructures remains a significant challenge, especially for large-scale fabrication. Here, we present a scalable high-intensity dry mixing process to create tailored functional coatings on single-crystalline LiNi<sub>0.82</sub>Mn<sub>0.07</sub>Co<sub>0.11</sub>O<sub>2</sub> via mechanofusion. We investigate the coating of LiNi<sub>0.82</sub>Mn<sub>0.07</sub>Co<sub>0.11</sub>O<sub>2</sub> with the malleable halide solid electrolyte Li<sub>3</sub>InCl<sub>6</sub> under various process conditions, linking process parameters obtained from discrete element method simulations with experimentally accessible morphological properties to offer guidelines for further optimization. In this way nanometer-thin covering coatings as well as thick matrix coatings are successfully produced. Incorporating carbon black into the thick matrix coating results in well-performing mixed conducting matrices that can be used directly as composite cathodes without further treatment. The compositions investigated enable stable cycling with a specific capacity of up to q<sub>comp</sub> = 100 mAh g<sup>-1</sup> (based on the total mass of the composite cathode) at a C-rate of 1 C (60 min). While higher carbon black content is observed to improve CAM utilization, excessive amounts are detrimental for cell kinetics and chemo-mechanics, emphasizing the importance of the cathode mixing process and composition on overall cell performance.