Figure 3: Structural characterization of the LMO nanowires.

(a) Transmission electron microscopy image of an individual nanowire calcined 650 °C. (b) Transmission electron microscopy image of two grains. Also shown are high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images of nanowires calcined at (c and d) 600 °C and (e) 700 °C. The insets in panel (c) are the corresponding selected-area electron diffraction patterns. (f) Schematic illustration of the partial order in the glass-like structure near the crystalline grain in the SAF and the possible influence of surface curvature. It is well established that the crystal surface can impose both partial layering and lateral order to the glass structure at the crystal-glass interface, where the partial order decays away from the interface^28,35,36. Recent modelling³⁷ and experimental³⁸ studies suggest enhanced ionic conduction along the crystal-glass interfaces (in the partially ordered region) that can be greater than that in either the crystal or glass phases. We hypothesize that such partial order in the SAF region, which is known to exist^28,35,36, leads to enhanced ionic conduction. This is further enhanced by hoop strains arising from the high surface curvature, in agreement with our experimental observation of the curvature-dependent surface ionic conductivity.