Single-crystal cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries have attracted increasing interest in providing greater capacity retention than their polycrystalline counterparts. However, after being cycled at high voltages, these single-crystal materials exhibit severe structural instability and capacity fade. Understanding how the surface structural changes determine the performance degradation over cycling is crucial, but remains elusive. Here, we investigate the correlation of the surface structure, internal strain, and capacity deterioration by using operando X-ray spectroscopy imaging and nano-tomography. We directly observe a close correlation between surface chemistry and phase distribution from homogeneity to heterogeneity, which induces heterogeneous internal strain within the particle and the resulting structural/performance degradation during cycling. We also discover that surface chemistry can significantly enhance the cyclic performance. Our modified process effectively regulates the performance fade issue of single-crystal cathode and provides new insights for improved design of high-capacity battery materials.

Interfacial issues commonly exist in solid-state batteries, and the microstructural complexity combines with the chemical heterogeneity to govern the local interfacial chemistry. The conventional wisdom suggests that “point-to-point” ion diffusion at the interface determines the ion transport kinetics. Here, we show that solid-solid ion transport kinetics are not only impacted by the physical interfacial contact but are also closely associated with the interior local environments within polycrystalline particles. In spite of the initial discrete interfacial contact, solid-state batteries may still display homogeneous lithium-ion transportation owing to the chemical potential force to achieve an ionic-electronic equilibrium. Nevertheless, once the interior local environment within secondary particle is disrupted upon cycling, it triggers charge distribution from homogeneity to heterogeneity and leads to fast capacity fading. Our work highlights the importance of interior local environment within polycrystalline particles for electrochemical reactions in solid-state batteries and provides crucial insights into underlying mechanism in interfacial transport.

Polyethylene oxide (PEO) based electrolytes critically govern the security and energy density of solid-state batteries, but typically suffer from poor oxidation resistance at high voltages, which limits the energy density of batteries. Here, we report a Lewis-acid coordinated strategy to significantly improve the cyclic stability of 4.8 V-class PEO-based battery. The introduced Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ with strong electron-withdrawing capability weaken the electron density of ether oxygen (EO) chains via chelation in the coordination structure, resulting in a locally limited interaction between the EO chains and the surface of cathodes at high state of charge. The batteries using Lewis-acid coordinated electrolytes and Ni-rich cathodes achieve high voltage stability of 4.8 V over 300 cycles. Further, the realization of industrial-scale electrolyte membranes, and Ah-level pouch cells over 586 Wh kg^‒1 with good cyclic stability, suggests the potential of our strategy in practical applications of all-solid-state batteries.

Succinonitrile (SN)-based electrolytes are attractive due to their considerable ionic conductivity and high oxidative stability. However, the spontaneous chemical side-reactions between SN and Li-metal restrict the extensive applications of such electrolytes in next-generation advanced Li-metal batteries. Herein, we report a novel SN-based electrolyte SN–DLi–FEC which combines the dual-salt (lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonimide) (LiTFSI) and lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiODFB)) and the fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive. Compared with other SN-based electrolytes such as SN–SLi–FEC (single salt combined with FEC), SN–DLi–FEC can form a more stable and durable organic–inorganic composite SEI film rich in the B–F bond and LiF on the surface of the Li-metal anode. As a result, interfacial compatibility of the SN-based electrolytes and the Li-metal anode can be significantly enhanced. Moreover, SN–DLi–FEC shows high oxidation resistance, high ionic conductivity and good thermal stability. The LiCoO₂ (LCO)/Li battery equipped with SN–DLi–FEC exhibits excellent electrochemical performances at room temperature (RT) and high temperature, and high thermal safety. The novel SN-based electrolyte prepared in this work could be a promising candidate providing better reliability and safety for the development of Li-metal batteries.