Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (8): 3122-3137.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2025.0289

• Energy Storage Materials and Devices • Previous Articles    

Research progress on high specific-capacity lithium-rich single crystal materials

Jingjing LI1(), Danfeng JIANG2, Jiaxin LI2, Jie YAN2, Changjie SHEN3   

  1. 1.Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Henan Key Laboratory of Energy Storage Materials and Processes, Zhengzhou 450003, Henan, China
    2.Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
    3.Longzihu New Energy Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450003, Henan, China
  • Received:2025-03-27 Revised:2025-04-18 Online:2025-08-28 Published:2025-08-18
  • Contact: Jingjing LI E-mail:jjli@ipezz.ac.cn

Abstract:

Due to their high specific capacity and low cost, lithium-rich oxide materials have been regarded as next-generation cathodes to overcome the bottleneck of energy density in lithium-ion batteries. However, traditional polycrystalline agglomerated lithium-rich materials suffer from intrinsic defects such as particle pulverization and irreversible lattice oxygen release caused by structural reconstruction during long-term cycling, leading to continuous deterioration of the electrode-electrolyte interface and capacity fading. The single-crystal approach has been demonstrated as an effective strategy to mitigate these degradation mechanisms by eliminating grain boundary stress. This paper reviews the unique advantages of lithium-rich single-crystal materials with high nickel content in terms of structural and electrochemical properties. It systematically compares the differences between lithium-rich single-crystal and polycrystalline materials across key performance metrics, including initial Coulombic efficiency, structural stability, morphological evolution after cycling, and gas generation behavior induced by interfacial side reactions. Furthermore, it elaborates on the influence of critical parameters in mainstream synthesis processes, such as high-temperature solid-state methods, molten salt-assisted approaches, and hydrothermal/solvothermal methods, on crystal morphology. Modification strategies and research advancements in lithium-rich single-crystal materials are comprehensively summarized, demonstrating that optimization approaches, including elemental doping, surface coating, and structural engineering, can significantly enhance both structural stability and electrochemical performance. Finally, future development directions for lithium-rich single-crystal materials are discussed, providing theoretical foundations and technical support for the development and application of high energy density lithium-ion batteries.

Key words: Li-rich materials, single-crystal, polycrystalline crystal, synthesis method, modification

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