Episode 15: Cathodes with disordered structures enhance stability in Li-ion batteries

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Bin Ouyang of Florida State University about making a better cathode for lithium ion batteries. The current use of cobalt and nickel in their cathodes causes Li-ion batteries to contract in volume and degrade. Ouyang and his colleagues simulated and then fabricated new cathode materials that do not use cobalt or nickel and also degrade less after being charged and discharged. To achieve this, they found that they needed to design a material with disorder in its crystal structure. They found that replacing cobalt and nickel with vanadium and niobium leads to a battery with a small change of volume. The results provide a model for the further search of viable cathode materials to design lithium-ion batteries that are entirely made of solids. This study is published in Joules (doi:10.1016/j.joule.2022.05.018).