Enhancing lithium-rich manganese cathodes: Structural optimization and defect engineering via innovative thermal treatment for improved electrochemical durability and efficiency

Lattice oxygen release, which results in progressive structural disintegration and inevitable capacity fading, poses a significant challenge to the commercialization of Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials. To mitigate voltage capacity degradation and offer a feasible manufacturing process for commercial-scale production, this study developed a cost-effective thermal processing method for a Li-rich Mn-based cathode material Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2 based on water-spray quenching. This method refines the physical phase structure, increases the specific capacity of the material, and creates a defect-tolerant dislocation substructure in the surface lattice. Furthermore, refining the nanoparticle size suppresses the occurrence of redox side reactions and mitigates electrolyte corrosion, resulting in a material with a specific capacity of 196.7 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at a rate of 1C. This performance markedly exceeds that achieved with the untreated material, which exhibited a capacity of 104.2 mAh g(-1) under the same conditions. In contrast to the conventional surface engineering and elemental modulation techniques, this study presents a practical solution for industrial applications, facilitating cost reductions and large-scale production.