Lithium titanate (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, LTO) has emerged as an alternative anode material for rechargeable lithium ion (Li⁺) batteries with the potential for long cycle life, superior safety, better low-temperature performance, and higher power density compared to their graphite-based counterparts. LTO, being a “zero-strain” material, shows almost no volume change (<1%) during lithium ion insertion/extraction and hence offers excellent cycling stability (over 20,000 cycles). LTO anodes were popular initially on the belief that the anode electrolyte interface would be free of any solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer; however, this was found not to be the case. Rather, recent studies have reported different types of deposits and layer formations on the surface of LTO electrodes, and therefore this topic has received significant attention in recent years and has emerged as an important research direction. However, these anodes, being very active catalysts, are prone to undesirable reactions with electrolytes and problems such as gas evolution, and associated swelling of the battery pack may occur. Also, the electrolytes have been found to be one of the primary sources of problems, given that the electrolytes may react with both the anode and cathode, creating serious stability and safety concerns. The presence of moisture within the battery system, decomposition of the electrolyte solvents and solutes, and high catalytic activity of the anode are among the possible reasons behind the instability of LTO-based batteries. Development of an appropriate chemical composition for the electrolyte and/or modification of the electrode/electrolyte interface may overcome these issues.

Oxygen-deficient amorphous manganese oxide was synthesized and explored for the first time as a cathode material for aqueous zinc–MnO₂ batteries delivering high specific capacity.

Lithium manganese oxide (LiMn₂O₄) is a prevalent cathode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its low cost, abundant material sources, and ecofriendliness. However, its capacity fade, low energy density, and fast auto-discharge hinders its large-scale commercialization. Consequently, scientists are urged to achieve high-performance LMO cathodes through material doping and surface modification using a wide range of transition metals, polymers, and carbon precursors. Few studies have considered the potential of high-valence transition metal oxides in stabilizing the LMO's cycling process and enhancing the overall battery performance. In this work, we report the synthesis of surface-modified lithium manganese oxide using high-valence tungsten oxide (W^VIO₃). Different WO₃ wt % were investigated before settling for 0.5%WO₃-LMO as the synergic surface-modified LMO. Using galvanostatic charge-discharge, 0.50 WO₃-LMO exhibited better rate capability by retaining 51% of its initial capacity at a 20C rate, compared to 34% for the pristine LMO. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry at different scan rates showed that 0.50 WO₃-LMO possesses better ion diffusion than pristine LMO, around 10^-11 and 10^-13 cm²·s^-1 respectively. Finally, using in situ Raman spectroscopy, reaction mechanisms during cycling were investigated, and operando accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) visualized the surface-modified LMO's cycling thermal stability and highlighted its potential use for safe high-voltage lithium-ion batteries in automotive applications.