Argonne National Laboratory researchers discover cause of rapid decline in lithium-ion battery cathode material capacity, citing structural changes during charge-discharge cycling.

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have discovered the main reason behind the rapid decline in capacity of promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. The reason is the structural changes that occur in the material during charge-discharge cycling. This breakthrough helps understand how to improve cathode materials and extend electric vehicle driving range and reduce costs.