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Nanostructured niobium-doped nickel-rich multiphase positive electrode active material for high-power lithium-based batteries

Nature Nanotechnology volume 21, pages 240–248 (2026) Cite this article

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Abstract

Ni-rich layered oxide positive electrode active materials are promising for high-energy non-aqueous lithium-based batteries, but their poor structural stability limits their high-power applications. Here, to address this issue, we propose a two-step doping strategy for the synthesis of Ni-rich positive electrode active materials. This involves an initial lithiation of the hydroxide precursor at an intermediate temperature, followed by cooling, dopant mixing and high-temperature calcination. This approach yields positive electrode active materials with nanoscale primary particles, thereby improving mechanical stability and suppressing intergranular cracking. Moreover, the material prepared via a two-step doping strategy exhibits a layered–rocksalt nanostructured multiphase, which reversibly transforms into a layered-spinel nanostructured multiphase upon cell charging, facilitating lithium-ion diffusion. As a result, the nanostructured Nb-doped Ni-rich multiphase positive electrode active material enables improved high-rate performance when tested in both Li metal coin cell and Li-ion pouch cell configurations, also applying electric vertical take-off and landing testing protocols.

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Fig. 1: Microstructure and phase evolution of Ni-rich PEAMs synthesized via one- and two-step calcination.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 2: Effect of primary particle morphology on mechanical properties and stress evolution of Ni-rich PEAMs.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 3: Nanostructured multiphase and phase-transition behaviour of TS-NCNb93 PEAM.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 4: Electrochemical performance in Li-based lab-scale cells of PEAMs synthesized via different calcination routes.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 5: Electrochemical performance of Li-ion pouch cells with various PEAMs applying an eVTOL testing protocol.
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

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Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published Article and its Supplementary Information. The data that support the graphical representations in this paper and other findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. Hong (Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University) for supporting the ASTAR analysis under the supervision of S.-Y. Lee. This work was supported by the Human Resources Development Program (20214000000320) and ESS Big Data-Based O&M and Asset Management Technical Manpower Training (RS-2024-00398346) of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Korean government.

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Author notes

  1. Nam-Yung Park

    Present address: Department of Secondary Battery Convergence Engineering, Inha University, Incheon, South Korea

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

    Nam-Yung Park, Geon-Tae Park, Ji-Hyun Ryu, Jae-Ho Kim & Yang-Kook Sun

  2. Department of Battery Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

    Seong-Eun Park & Yang-Kook Sun

  3. Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

    Seung-Yong Lee

  4. Department of Battery Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea

    Junhyeok Choi

  5. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea

    Yong Min Lee

  6. Beamline Research Division, Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL), Pohang, South Korea

    Min Gyu Kim

  7. Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hillsboro, OR, USA

    Heebeom Lee, Joseph P. Cline & Zhao Liu

  8. Energy Storage Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea

    Hun-Gi Jung

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Contributions

N.-Y.P. and Y.-K.S. conceived and designed the research. N.-Y.P., G.-T.P., J.-H.R., S.-E.P., J.-H.K. and H.-G.J. performed the experiments and characterization of materials. S.-Y.L. conducted the ASTAR analysis. J.C. and Y.M.L. conducted the simulation. M.G.K. performed the EXAFS and XANES analysis. H.L., J.P.C. and Z.L. performed the TEM analysis. N.-Y.P. wrote the original draft. N.-Y.P. and Y.-K.S. reviewed and edited the paper. All authors discussed and analysed the results.

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Correspondence to Yang-Kook Sun.

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Nature Nanotechnology thanks Bin Huang, Yin Zhang, Ruirui Zhao and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Park, NY., Park, GT., Ryu, JH. et al. Nanostructured niobium-doped nickel-rich multiphase positive electrode active material for high-power lithium-based batteries. Nat. Nanotechnol. 21, 240–248 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-02092-y

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