Clearing surficial charge-transport obstacles to boost the performance of lithium-rich layered oxides

The interfacial property of cathode materials in Li-ion batteries plays a vital role for the mass transport in electrochemical process. In this paper, Li2RuO3 coating layer, acting as an electronic/ionic conductive network, is introduced to lithium-rich Mn-based material that is known for its low rate capability and quick capacity fading. The reaction kinetics are promoted due to the depolarizing effect of this modified layer. The target material achieves a discharge capacity as high as 195.4 and 150.6 mAh g(-1) at 2C and 8C, respectively. The conductive Li2RuO3 coating layer helps to accelerate the transport of Li ion and electron at grain surface and relieve phase transformation, ultimately reducing the reaction resistance. Cycle stability is also enhanced (capacity retention of 92% after 100 cycles) by mitigating side reactions between cathode and electrolyte. This study provides an effective approach to ameliorate the sluggish Li-ion transport of lithium-rich Mn-based material and other analogous cathode materials.