Facilitating the Operation of Lithium-Ion Cells with High-Nickel Layered Oxide Cathodes with a Small Dose of Aluminum

Layered oxide cathodes with a high Ni content of >0.6 are promising for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, parasitic electrolyte oxidation of the charged cathode and mechanical degradation arising from phase transitions significantly deteriorate the cell performance and cycle life as the Ni content increases. We demonstrate here a significantly prolonged cycle life with superior cell performance by substituting a small-dose of Al (2 mol %) for Ni in LiNi0.92Co0.06Al0.02O2; the capacity retention after operating a full cell fabricated with graphite anode for 1000 cycles increases from 47% to 83% on going from the Al-free LiNi0.94Co0.06O2 to the Al-doped LiNi0.92Co0.06Al0.02O2 cathode. Through in situ X-ray diffraction, we provide the operando evidence that the Al-doping tunes the H2–H3 phase transition process from a two-phase reaction to a quasi-monophase reaction, minimizing the mechanical degradation. Furthermore, secondary-ion mass spectrometry reveals considerably suppressed transition-metal dissolution with Al-doping, effectively preventing sustained parasitic reactions and active Li trapping due to chemical crossover on graphite anodes. This work offers a viable approach for adopting high-Ni cathodes in lithium-ion batteries.