Topologically protected oxygen redox in a layered manganese oxide cathode for sustainable batteries

Ang Gao (1, 2) , Qinghua Zhang (1, 3) , Xinyan Li (1, 4) , Tongtong Shang (1, 2) , Zhexin Tang (1, 2) , Xia Lu , Yanhong Luo (1) , Jiarun Ding (5) , Wang Hay Kan (6) , Huaican Chen (6) , Wen Yin (6) , Xuefeng Wang (1) , Dongdong Xiao (1) , Dong Su (1) , Hong Li (1) , Xiaohui Rong (1) , Xiqian Yu (1) , Qian Yu (7) , Fanqi Meng (8) , Cewen Nan (8) , Claude Delmas (9) , Liquan Chen (1) , Yong-Sheng Hu (1, 3, 4) , Lin Gu (1, 2, 10)

1 Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics
2 School of Physical Sciences
3 Yangtze River Delta Physics Research Center Co. Ltd
4 College of Materials Science and Optoelectronic Technology
5 School of Physics and Engineering
6 Spallation Neutron Source Science Center
7 School of Materials Science and Engineering
8 State key laboratory of new ceramics and fine processing
9 ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux
10 Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory

Manganese could be the element of choice for cathode materials used in large-scale energy storage systems owning to its abundance and low toxicity levels. However, both lithium and sodium ion batteries adopting this electrode chemistry suffer from rapid performance fading, suggesting a major technical barrier that must be overcome. Here we report a P3-type layered manganese oxide cathode Na 0.6 Li 0.2 Mn 0.8 O 2 (NLMO) that delivers a high capacity of 240 mAh g −1 with outstanding cycling stability in a lithium half-cell. Combined experimental and theoretical characterizations reveal a characteristic topological feature that enables the good electrochemical performance. Specifically, the-α-γ-layer stacking provides topological protection for lattice oxygen redox, whereas the reversibility is absent in P2-structured NLMO which takes a-α-β-configuration. The identified new order parameter opens an avenue towards the rational design of reversible Mn-rich cathode materials for sustainable batteries.

Domaines: Matériaux

Ang Gao, Qinghua Zhang, Xinyan Li, Tongtong Shang, Zhexin Tang, et al.. Topologically protected oxygen redox in a layered manganese oxide cathode for sustainable batteries. Nature Sustainability, 2022, 5 (3), pp.214-224. ⟨10.1038/s41893-021-00809-0⟩. ⟨hal-03659118⟩