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Electric vehicle high-nickel batteries: Fundamental cause of performance degradation identified

High-nickel batteries, which are high-energy lithium-ion batteries primarily used in electric vehicles, offer high energy density but suffer from rapid performance degradation. A research team from KAIST has, for the first time, identified the fundamental cause of the rapid deterioration (degradation) of high-nickel batteries and proposed a new approach to solve it.

A research team led by Professor Nam-Soon Choi of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, in collaboration with a research team led by Professor Dong-Hwa Seo of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has revealed that the electrolyte additive succinonitrile (CN4), which has been used to improve battery stability and lifespan, is actually the key culprit causing performance degradation in high-nickel batteries. The study is published in ACS Energy Letters.

How CN4 affects battery performance...In a battery, electricity is generated as lithium ions travel between the cathode and the anode. A small amount of CN4 is included in the electrolyte to facilitate the movement of lithium. The research team confirmed through computer calculations that CN4, which has two nitrile (-CN) structures, attaches excessively strongly to the nickel ions on the surface of the high-nickel cathode.

The nitrile structure is a hook-like structure, where carbon and nitrogen are bound by a triple bond, making it adhere well to metal ions. This strong bonding destroys the protective electrical double layer (EDL) that should form on the cathode surface. During the charging and discharging process, the cathode structure is distorted (Jahn-Teller distortion), and even electrons from the cathode are drawn out to the CN4, leading to rapid damage of the cathode.

Nickel ions that leak out during this process migrate through the electrolyte to the anode surface, where they accumulate. This nickel acts as a bad catalyst that accelerates electrolyte decomposition and wastes lithium, further speeding up battery degradation.

Various analyses confirmed that CN4 transforms the high-nickel cathode surface into an abnormal layer deficient in nickel, and changes the normally stable structure into an abnormal rock-salt structure.

Schematic diagram of the ligand coordination between CN₄ molecules and Ni³⁺ on the high-nickel cathode surface and the cathode structural degradation process. Credit: ACS Energy Letters (2025)

Implications for battery development...This proves the dual nature of CN4: While useful in LCO batteries (lithium cobalt oxide), it actually causes the structural collapse in high-nickel batteries with a high nickel ratio.

This research represents a precise analysis that goes beyond simple control of charging/discharging conditions, to even elucidating the actual electron transfer occurring between metal ions and electrolyte molecules. Based on this achievement, the research team plans to develop a new electrolyte additive optimized for high-nickel cathodes.

Professor Choi stated, "A precise, molecular-level understanding is essential to enhance battery lifespan and stability. This research will pave the way for the development of new additives that do not excessively bond with nickel, significantly contributing to the commercialization of next-generation high-capacity batteries."

Provided by The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)