Enhancing cyclic and in-air stability of Ni-Rich cathodes through perovskite oxide surface coating

[Graphical abstract presents]

Ni-rich layered oxides, such as LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM811), are promising cathode materials for high-energy lithium-ion batteries. However, the relatively high reactivity of Ni in NCM811 cathodes results in severe capacity fading originating from the undesired side reactions that occur at the cathode-electrolyte interface during prolonged cycling. Therefore, the trade-off between high capacity and long cycle life can obstruct the commercialization process of Ni-rich cathodes in modern lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In addition, high sensitivity toward air upon storage greatly limits the commercial application. Herein, a facile surface modification strategy is introduced to enhance the cycling and in-air storage stability of NCM811. The NCM811 with a uniform SrTiO₃ (STO) nano-coating layer exhibited outstanding electrochemical performances that could deliver a high discharge capacity of 173.5 mAh⋅g⁻¹ after 200 cycles under 1C with a capacity retention of 90%. In contrast, the uncoated NCM811 only provided 65% capacity retention of 130.8 mAh⋅g⁻¹ under the same conditions. Structural evolution analysis suggested that the STO coating acted as a buffer layer to suppress the dissolution of transition metal ions caused by the HF attack from the electrolyte and promote the lithium diffusion during the charge–discharge process. In addition, the constructed STO layer prevented the exposure of NCM811 to H₂O and CO₂ and thus effectively improved the in-air storage stability. This work offers an effective way to enhance the performance stability of Ni-rich oxides for high-performance cathodes of lithium-ion batteries.