Tailoring Novel Cathode Materials with High Potential to Combine Performance with Reduced Content of Critical Raw Materials

The economic impact of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines continues to grow. Dependence on fossil fuels significantly contributes to the rising global energy demand and has intensified the development of environmentally friendly systems for energy generation and storage. In this context, lithium-ion batteries have emerged as a viable solution to environmental, economic, and social challenges, currently dominating the electric vehicle industry.

Among the battery components, cathode material has the most significant influence on performance, safety, cost, or lifespan. The first commercialized cathode was LiCoO₂, which is now being gradually replaced due to its low safety level and high cost.

Partial or complete substitution of cobalt with other elements enables the development of new properties that would otherwise be difficult to achieve. The introduction of aluminium contributes to structural stability and reduced economic impact, but also leads to a decrease in storage capacity. Manganese has high potential for improving electronic conductivity, suppressing microcracks, enhancing structural integrity and mechanical strength. Nickel allows for high energy density, but pure LiNiO₂ is difficult to synthesize and process and lacks sufficient safety.

Therefore, although conventional cathodes, such as LiNi_1-x-yCo_xMn_y and LiNi_1-x-yCo_xAl_y exhibit valuable properties, they still suffer from several limitations. Therefore, the development of new cathode materials that deliver high performance without compromising safety or durability is essential.

This work focuses on the synthesis of new oxide-based materials with high potential for use as cathodes in lithium-ion batteries, aiming to achieve a balance between performance, cost-effectiveness, and criticality of the constituent elements.