From LiNiO₂ to Li₂NiO₃: Synthesis, Structures and Electrochemical Mechanisms in Li-Rich Nickel Oxides

The Li–Ni–O phase diagram contains a variety of compounds, most of which are electrochemically active in Li-ion batteries. Other than the well-known LiNiO₂, here we report a facile solid-state method to prepare Li₂NiO₃ and other Li-rich Ni oxides of composition Li_1+xNi_1–xO₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.33). We characterize their crystal and electronic structure, exhibiting a highly oxidized Ni state and defects of various nature (Li–Ni disorder, stacking faults, oxygen vacancies). We then investigate the use of Li₂NiO₃ as a cathode active material and show its remarkably high specific capacity, which however fades quickly. While we demonstrate that the initial capacity is due to irreversible O₂ release, such process stops quickly in favor of more classical reversible redox mechanisms that allow cycling the material for >100 cycles. After the severe oxygen loss (∼15–20%) and prolonged cycling, the Bragg reflections of Li₂NiO₃ disappear. Analysis of the diffracted intensities suggests the resulting phase is a disordered rock salt-type material with high Li content, close to Li_0.5Ni_0.5O, never reported to date and capable of Li diffusion. Our findings demonstrate that the Li–Ni–O phase diagram has not been fully investigated yet, especially concerning the preparation of new promising materials by out-of-equilibrium methods.