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Li-ion batteries

Combining intercalation and conversion reversibly

Nature Energy volume 8, pages 9–10 (2023)Cite this article

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It is challenging to develop battery cathodes with both high performance and low cost. Now, an amorphous material based on cheap, earth-abundant elements is shown to achieve high capacity by undertaking both the intercalation and conversion reactions reversibly.

Since the commercialization of Li-ion batteries in 1991, high energy density has mainly been achieved by using cathodes made of layered transition metal oxides, such as Li(Ni,Mn,Co)O2. In these materials, Li ions reversibly incorporate into the crystal lattices, which is commonly known as an intercalation reaction. However, it has been becoming difficult to further improve energy density while keeping the battery cost low — to satisfy the increasing demand for electric vehicle applications — due to the use of expensive elements such as Co and Ni.

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Fig. 1: Intercalation and conversion in different cathode materials.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang, Republic of Korea

    Byoungwoo Kang

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  1. Byoungwoo Kang
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Correspondence to Byoungwoo Kang.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Kang, B. Combining intercalation and conversion reversibly. Nat Energy 8, 9–10 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01163-x

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