Argonne and UChicago researchers uncover why single-crystal EV batteries crack, offering paths to safer, longer life.
Battery fires, fading range, and early failure have long haunted electric vehicles.Now, scientists say one of the most stubborn mysteries behind battery degradation has finally been cracked, that too, at the scale of billionths of a meter.
Researchers from Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have uncovered why a newer class of lithium-ion batteries, once seen as safer and longer-lasting, has struggled to meet expectations.Their findings could reshape how future EV batteries are designed.The study focuses on nickel-rich lithium-ion batteries, widely used in electric vehicles.While traditional versions rely on polycrystalline cathodes made of many tiny crystals, researchers have increasingly turned to single-crystal cathodes to avoid cracking and improve durability.But single-crystal batteries did not always perform better.Despite lacking grain boundaries, the usual starting point for cracks, they still degraded, puzzling scientists and raising concerns over lifespan and safety.“Electrification of society needs everyone’s contribution,” said Khalil Amine, Argonne Distinguished Fellow and joint professor at UChicago.“If people don’t trust batteries to be safe and long-lasting, they won’t choose to use them.”Cracks at nanoscaleThe new research reveals why single-crystal cathodes were failing. According to the team, assumptions drawn from polycrystalline materials were being incorrectly applied to single-crystal designs.“When people try to transition to single-crystal cathodes, they have been following similar design principles as the polycrystal ones,” said Jing Wang, first author of the study.“Our work identifies that the major degradation mechanism of the single-crystal particles is different.”Using advanced synchrotron X-ray techniques and high-resolution electron microscopy, the researchers found that cracking in single-crystal cathodes is driven by reaction heterogeneity.Different regions inside a single particle react at different rates, generating internal strain that leads to fractures from within.“We demonstrate that degradation in single-crystal NMC cathodes is predominantly governed by a distinct mechanical failure mode,” said Tongchao Liu, a chemist at Argonne.“This work establishes a direct link between material composition and degradation pathways.”Rethinking battery chemistryThe discovery also upends conventional thinking around battery materials. In polycrystalline cathodes, cobalt is known to promote cracking but is necessary to prevent structural disorder.For single-crystal cathodes, the opposite appears to be true.By testing nickel-cobalt and nickel-manganese batteries separately, the team found that manganese caused more mechanical damage, while cobalt actually improved durability.“Not only are new design strategies needed, different materials will also be required,” said Shirley Meng, director of the Energy Storage Research Alliance at Argonne.“By better understanding how different types of cathode materials degrade, we can help design a suite of high-functioning cathode materials.”Despite its benefits, Cobalt’s come with a drawback. It is expensive.Wang said the next challenge is finding lower-cost materials that can replicate cobalt’s stabilizing effect without driving up battery prices.“Advances come in cycles,” said Amine. “You solve a problem, then move on to the next.”The findings offer a clearer roadmap for safer, longer-lasting batteries at a time when EV adoption depends heavily on trust, reliability, and performance, as reported in Nature Nanotechnology.
Battery Degradation Battery Materials Energy Storage Research EV Battery Safety EV Fires Lithium-Ion Batteries Single-Crystal Cathodes
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