Optimized atomic layer deposition of homogeneous, conductive Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> coatings for high-nickel NCM containing ready-to-use electrodes
Rajendra Singh Negi, Sean P. Culver, Miguel Wiche, Shamail Ahmed, Kerstin Volz, Matthias T. Elm
Abstract
coating with an optimized thickness is thin enough to retain the original conduction properties of the coated electrodes, while thicker coating layers are insulating resulting in a worse cycling performance. After cycling, the surface conductivity of the coated electrodes is maintained, while in the case of uncoated electrodes the surface conductivity is completely suppressed confirming the formation of an insulating cathode electrolyte interface due to the parasitic side reactions. The results not only show the possibilities of C-AFM as a non-destructive evaluation of the surface properties, but also reveal that an optimized coating, which preserves the conductive properties of the electrode surface, is a crucial factor for stabilising the long-term battery performance.