"Oxidation mechanism of copper in high voltage spinel materials for innovative Li-Ion battery"

The spinel material LiCu0.4Mn1.6O4 (LCMO) is a promising cathodic material for the future Li-Ion battery since it is more electrochemically stable upon cycling than LiMn2O4, the father of this class material. Moreover, the partial substitution of Mn with Cu allows enhancing the working potential of the cathode from 4V up to 5V, thanks to the oxidation/reduction reaction of Cu2+/Cu3+, and thus, the energy density of the cell. A chemical over-lithiation step allows increasing the lithium content in the material, making it suitable to be coupled with the most advanced Si-graphite anodes, which are nonetheless characterized by an irreversible consumption of Li in the first cycles. The experiment aims to perform operando XAS in a wide potential window (1.6-5.1V) to understand how the oxidation state of the Mn and Cu varies over the cycling, thus making the structural changes of the material clearer.