Excess lithium in transition metal layers of epitaxially grown thin film cathodes of Li2MnO3 leads to rapid loss of covalency during first battery cycle

• We have investigated the initial-cycle battery behavior of epitaxial thin films of Li2MnO3-cathodes by employing resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) at the O K- and Mn L3-edges. Thin films (25 nm thickness) with Li/Mn-ratios of 2.06 (stoichiometric) and 2.27 (over-stoichiometric), respectively, were epitaxially grown by pulsed laser deposition and electrochemically cycled as battery cathodes in half-cell setup, stopped at potentials for full charge (delithiation) and complete discharge (relithiation), respectively, for X-ray analysis. Using RIXS, we find that significant anionic reactions take place in both materials upon initial delithiation. However, no signatures of localized oxygen holes are found in O K-RIXS of the Li2MnO3 regardless of Li/Mn-ratio. Instead, the top of the oxygen valence band is depleted of electrons forming delocalized empty states upon delithiation. Mn L-RIXS of the over-stoichiometric cathode material shows a progressive loss of charge transfer state intensity during the first battery cycle, revealing a more rapid loss of Mn--O covalency in the over-stoichiometric material.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Li-ion battery

Li-rich lithium manganese oxide cathode

pulsed laser deposition (PLD)

thin film

resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS)

soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS)

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