Cathode Active Material

Cathode active material inducing reversible phase transition via ether-based organic molecule intercalation

This technology is a cathode active material that induces a reversible phase transition between a layered structure (first crystalline phase) and a spinel-like structure (second crystalline phase) during charge/discharge cycles by intercalating oxygen-containing organic molecules (ether-based) between transition metal oxide layers.

Conventional layered cathode active materials suffer from thermodynamic instability during alkali ion extraction, leading to irreversible structural changes—often locking into a stable spinel structure—which hinders the full utilization of theoretical capacity and reduces cycle life.

By introducing organic molecules containing ether groups (R-O-R') instead of crystalline water into the manganese-based oxide interlayers, this technology facilitates the formation of a metastable state (a 3D spinel-like structure) through manganese-organic oxygen bonding during charging, and restores it to a stable layered structure during discharging. This mechanism significantly enhances the commercial competitiveness of cathode materials for lithium secondary batteries.

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Key Features:

• Cathode active material comprising oxygen-containing organic molecules and transition metal oxides, featuring both 2D and 3D crystalline phases
• Structure where the first crystalline phase consists of a transition metal oxide unit cell with bonded transition metals and oxygen
• Configuration involving the intercalation of ether-based organic molecules containing oxygen between transition metal oxide layers
• Cathode active material that induces reversible phase transition between a layered structure and a spinel-like structure through organic molecule intercalation

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