Preparation of Lithium-Rich Manganese-Based Cathode Materials and Their Research in Lithium Batteries

Against the backdrop of the global transition of energy structure toward green and high-efficiency systems, developing sustainable and high-performance lithium-ion battery technology is of great significance. As one of the core components determining the electrochemical performance of batteries, cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries directly affect battery endurance and cost control. Lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials, with the advantages of high specific discharge capacity and abundant low-cost raw materials, have been regarded as ideal candidates to break the energy density bottleneck of conventional lithium batteries in recent years. Combined with current research hotspots, this paper systematically introduces the basic structure of lithium-ion batteries and the rocking-chair energy storage and conduction mechanism. It focuses on discussing the performance shortcomings of commercial cathode materials including traditional layered oxides, spinel structures and polyanion-type materials. Four preparation methods of lithium-rich manganese-based materials, namely co-precipitation method, high-temperature solid-state method, sol-gel method and hydrothermal method, as well as the electrochemical performance of materials with different micro-morphologies used in lithium-ion batteries are summarized. By comparing key properties such as specific discharge capacity and cyclic retention rate among various cathode materials and lithium-rich manganese-based samples synthesized via different preparation routes, this paper reveals the great application potential and existing technical challenges of lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials in high specific-energy lithium-ion batteries, providing theoretical support for the sustainable development of high-performance and low-cost lithium-ion batteries.