Advancing Earth-Abundant Cathode Active Materials Design for Li-Ion Batteries

The rising demand for lithium-ion technologies, especially in the transportation sector, highlights the importance of sustainability with respect to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this regard, manganese-based compositions are promising in terms of materials availability. Furthermore, Mn is already a cost-effective and crucial component of various battery technologies. Manganese-rich oxides are also attractive because of their high capacities and energy densities. However, challenges in commercialization still exist across length-scales from atomic-level intricacies to broader, cell-level challenges, including complex local structures, bulk and surface instabilities, and rising impedance during cycling.
The work presented here explores research and development efforts led by Argonne National Laboratory, within the Earth-abundant Cathode Active Materials (EaCAM) consortium, funded by the Vehicle Technologies Office of the U.S. DoE. The goal of this program is to discover new design strategies that can advance the commercialization of Mn-rich cathodes. By delving into key mechanisms and combining experimental data with techno-economic analysis, this presentation will examine a Co-free, lithium- and manganese-rich cathode and discuss critical metrics and related materials goals necessary for achieving cost and performance parity with commercial materials. This study can be used as a guide for prioritizing R&D efforts in the development of earth-abundant, Mn-rich cathode materials.