Ni-rich
lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) oxide cathode materials
promise Li-ion batteries with increased energy density and lower cost.
However, higher Ni content is accompanied by accelerated degradation
and thus poor cycle lifetime, with the underlying mechanisms and their
relative contributions still poorly understood. Here, we combine electrochemical
analysis with surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron and absorption
spectroscopies to observe the interfacial degradation occurring in
LiNi
0.8
Mn
0.1
Co
0.1
O
2
–graphite
full cells over hundreds of cycles between fixed cell voltages (2.5–4.2
V). Capacity losses during the first ∼200 cycles are primarily
attributable to a loss of active lithium through electrolyte reduction
on the graphite anode, seen as thickening of the solid-electrolyte
interphase (SEI). As a result, the cathode reaches ever-higher potentials
at the end of charge, and with further cycling, a regime is entered
where losses in accessible NMC capacity begin to limit cycle life.
This is accompanied by accelerated transition-metal reduction at the
NMC surface, thickening of the cathode electrolyte interphase, decomposition
of residual lithium carbonate, and increased cell impedance. Transition-metal
dissolution is also detected through increased incorporation into
and thickening of the SEI, with Mn found to be initially most prevalent,
while the proportion of Ni increases with cycling. The observed evolution
of anode and cathode surface layers improves our understanding of
the interconnected nature of the degradation occurring at each electrode
and the impact on capacity retention, informing efforts to achieve
a longer cycle lifetime in Ni-rich NMCs.