# Interparticle Communication and Lithium Dynamics in Faceted Nickel-Rich NMC Cathodes

## TL;DR

This study investigates how lithium ions move in nickel-rich battery cathodes, revealing important interactions between particles that affect performance.

## Contribution

The study introduces the concept of interparticle communication in NMC cathodes, showing its significant impact on lithium-ion transport.

## Key findings

- Anisotropic lithium-ion transport was observed across different facets of octahedral NMC particles.
- Interparticle communication was identified as a significant factor in lithium dynamics.
- Experimental results were supported by finite element simulations to validate transport mechanisms.

## Abstract

Lithium-ion batteries have transformed energy storage
solutions
with the layered materials LiNi
x
Mn
y
Co
z
O2 (NMC) at the forefront of commercial cathodes due to their superior
performance. However, understanding the complex dynamics of lithium-ion
diffusion within these materials remains a challenge, as conventional
models used to analyze experimental results often simplify particle
size distributions, intercalation kinetics and mechanisms, often ignoring
interactions between particles. This study explores the anisotropic
lithium-ion transport in NMC cathodes with octahedral particle morphologies.
Using charge photometry (CP) under charge-rest protocols, the research
unveils distinct transport behaviors across different facets of the
particle. These findings, corroborated through finite element simulations,
highlight the critical role of interparticle communicationan
interaction previously underappreciated but shown here to be significant.
By combining experimental evidence with computational modeling, this
study provides a deeper comprehension of lithium-ion transport and
the underlying mechanisms, offering valuable insights to future studies
of active materials for battery applications.