(Press-News.org)
With the recent global push toward renewable energy and electric vehicles, the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is rising rapidly. The performance and stability of LIBs largely depend on the cathode material, which can account for nearly 40–45% of the total battery cost. Among cutting-edge technologies, high-nickel cathodes stand out for their high energy density and cost efficiency. However, increasing the nickel content also intensifies side reactions, severely compromising interfacial robustness and mechanical integrity—factors that limit large-scale applications.
A promising solution is the use of full concentration gradient (FCG) or core–shell designs. In such structures, the nickel concentration gradually decreases from the core to the surface of each cathode particle, where it is replaced by more stable elements such as cobalt and manganese. This gradient enhances surface stability and mechanical strength. Unfortunately, the current fabrication methods offer limited tunability. Once the average composition is set, the slope and curvature of the gradient are also constrained, restricting the design flexibility of FCG cathodes.
In a new study, an international research team led by Associate Professor Hyun Deog Yoo from the Department of Chemistry and the Institute for Future Earth at Pusan National University, Korea, introduced a novel mathematical framework that enables fully flexible FCG design. “Unlike conventional methods, where adjusting one parameter affects the others, our approach allows independent and precise control over multiple descriptors, including average composition, slope, and curvature,” explains Dr. Yoo. The team’s findings were published on June 30, 2025, in the journal ACS Energy Letters.
Traditionally, FCG cathodes are synthesized via a coprecipitation method involving two tanks of metal precursor solutions. The first tank, rich in nickel (Ni), feeds directly into the reactor. The second tank, containing cobalt (Co) and manganese (Mn), is mixed into the first to reduce the Ni concentration over time. In conventional systems, the flow rate of this second tank is fixed, meaning only one specific gradient can be achieved for a given average composition.
The researchers overcame this limitation by expressing the flow rate of the second tank as a time-dependent mathematical function. This innovation allows independent tuning of the average composition, slope, and curvature—enabling the generation of a virtually unlimited range of concentration gradients using just two tanks. By integrating this approach with an automated reactor system, the team successfully synthesized five FCG Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1(OH)2 precursors with finely tuned gradients, verified through two- and three-dimensional elemental mapping.
“For this purpose, we assembled an outstanding international research team, collaborating with laboratories at the University of Illinois Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and several institutes across Korea and the United States,” says Dr. Yoo. “My lab focused on designing and synthesizing FCG cathodes, while most of the 2D and 3D imaging analyses were conducted by the groups of Prof. Jordi Cabana and Prof. Robert F. Klie. We feel truly privileged to have been part of such a remarkable collaboration.”
The resulting high-nickel cathodes exhibited significantly improved mechanical and structural stability compared to conventional counterparts. They showed enhanced lithium-ion transport for better electrochemical performance and minimal particle cracking—an essential trait for long cycle life. Notably, the optimally designed FCG cathode retained 93.6% of its initial capacity after 300 cycles, the highest cycling stability reported for FCG cathodes of similar composition.
“Our approach has the potential to transform the safety and performance of LIB-based energy storage systems,” says Dr. Yoo. “This could lead to safer consumer electronics and medical devices, more reliable electric vehicles, stable power grids, and broader adoption of renewable energy technologies.”
This work was supported by the Sustainable Utilization of Photovoltaic Energy Research (SUPER) Center, led by Prof. Sung-Ho Jin, under the Engineering Research Center (ERC) program funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea.
***
Reference
DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.5c01634
About Pusan National University
Pusan National University, located in Busan, South Korea, was founded in 1946 and is now the No. 1 national university of South Korea in research and educational competency. The multi-campus university also has other smaller campuses in Yangsan, Miryang, and Ami. The university prides itself on the principles of truth, freedom, and service and has approximately 30,000 students, 1,200 professors, and 750 faculty members. The university comprises 14 colleges (schools) and one independent division, with 103 departments in all.
Website: https://www.pusan.ac.kr/eng/Main.do
About Dr. Hyun Deog Yoo
Dr. Hyun Deog Yoo is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Pusan National University. His research centers on advanced materials for energy storage, with a particular emphasis on lithium-ion and magnesium-ion batteries. The Yoo group adopts a comprehensive approach, integrating materials synthesis, electrochemical analysis, and computational modeling to delve into ion transport and interfacial phenomena. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Seoul National University in 2011, followed by postdoctoral training at Bar-Ilan University, the University of Houston, and the University of Illinois Chicago.
Lab website: https://chemlab.pusan.ac.kr/eshel/index.do
ORCID Id: 0000-0001-5188-481X
END
Sodium (Na)-ion batteries have recently emerged as cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to lithium (Li)-ion batteries. Na, the sixth most abundant element on Earth, offers lower material costs and greater availability compared to Li-ion batteries. The design of cathode materials plays a key role in determining battery life and stability. Layered sodium manganese oxide (NaMnO2) has received increased attention from researchers for its use as a cathode material in Na-ion batteries.
NaMnO2 exists in two crystal forms: α-NaMnO2 and β-NaMnO2. The α-phase features a monoclinic layered structure, where planar MnO2 layers, consisting of edge-sharing distorted ...
As the age-old proverb rightly states, “You are what you eat.” Our diet largely influences our health and well-being. A balanced diet lays the foundation for healthy living and disease prevention. However, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may not work, given the biological, cultural, socioeconomic, and lifestyle differences. Moreover, gender and age can dramatically influence dietary preferences. Many studies have explored dietary diversity and how often certain foods are consumed. However, little is ...
Imagine if your dog’s favorite game — sniffing out treats or toys — could help protect America’s vineyards, orchards, and forests from a devastating invader.
It turns out, it just might.
A new study led by Virginia Tech found that volunteer dog-handler teams — made up of everyday people and their pets — can effectively detect the elusive egg masses of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that's damaging farms and forests across the eastern and central United States.
It’s the first study to show that citizen dog-handler ...
Human eggs are some of the most patient cells in the body, lying dormant for decades until needed. A study published today in The EMBO Journal shows that the cells deliberately slow the activity of their internal waste disposal systems as they mature, most likely an evolutionary design which keeps metabolism low and damage at bay.
“By looking at more than a hundred freshly donated eggs, the largest dataset of its kind, we found a surprisingly minimalist strategy that helps the cells stay pristine for many years,” says Dr. Elvan Böke, corresponding author of the study and Group Leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.
Women are born with one to ...
In an effort to foster progress in cancer research, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is releasing detailed and comprehensive data about the entire genetic content of a pancreatic cancer cell. Scientists can use it to research tumors, improve cancer diagnostic tests, and develop new cancer treatments.
The NIST data on this cancer genome — that is, the full set of genetic instructions from the cell, including the mutations that caused the disease — is several terabytes in size. The genome came from a 61-year-old ...
Research Highlights:
A review of a decade of studies on cardiovascular health found that the benefits of ideal heart health extend beyond the cardiovascular system and are associated with improved function throughout the body.
Compared with poor cardiovascular health, as measured by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7™ health metrics, ideal cardiovascular health was associated with a lower likelihood of limb amputation, dementia, eye disease, hearing loss, depression, cancer and more.
Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Wednesday, July 16, 2025
DALLAS, July 16, 2025 — People who had ...
Kyoto, Japan -- Respiratory infections such as COVID-19 have been responsible for numerous pandemics and have placed a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Such viruses can cause significant damage to our lungs, especially to the proximal region, or airway, and distal region, also known as the alveoli.
The responses of different lung regions to such infections are varying and complex, so accurately replicating them using traditional models, such as animals and simple in vitro systems, poses a challenge.
To solve this problem, a team of researchers at Kyoto University has developed a micro physiological system, or MPS, capable of emulating different ...
Optimal heart health from birth through adolescence, as measured by a combination of metrics, leads to long-lasting cardiovascular and overall physical, cognitive and mental health, according to the systematic review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Benefits include lower risks of cancer, dementia, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and hearing loss, as well as better cognitive, dental and eye health.
The metrics, developed by the American Heart Association, ...
The landslide that occurred in Blatten in the canton of Valais at the end of May 2025 and the one in the village of Brienz in Graubünden in June 2023 remind us of the potential for landslide hazards in the Alps. Debris flows are one such hazard. These flows of water, sediment and rock fragments typically occur after heavy rainfall in steep terrain, and rapidly travel down a channel, potentially destroying everything in their path. In the past year, major debris flows have attracted attention, particularly in Sorte (canton of Graubünden), Fontana (canton of Ticino) and the Saas Valley (canton of Valais). ...
Ammonia (NH₃) is vital for agriculture, as it is the basis for fertilizers that are needed to feed the world's population. Currently, ammonia is mostly produced by the Haber-Bosch process, which turns nitrogen gas (N₂) from the air into ammonia. The problem is that this process requires enormous amounts of energy while generating significant gas emissions.
Scientists have long searched for more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to produce ammonia. Nature does this efficiently through enzymes called nitrogenases, but replicating these biological processes ...
