Periodic Reporting for period 1 - OXYPOW (Harnessing the electrochemical power of oxygen)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2025-08-31
The OXYPOW project addresses one of today’s most pressing challenges: how to store renewable energy efficiently and sustainably. As society moves toward green electricity from solar and wind sources, reliable energy storage becomes essential to balance supply and demand. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) currently power most portable devices and electric vehicles, but their performance and sustainability are limited by the use of critical and ethically problematic elements such as cobalt. To meet the growing global demand for batteries while reducing environmental and humanitarian impact, new materials that are both high-performing and sustainable are urgently needed.
Recent discoveries have shown that lithium-rich cathode materials can use not only metal but also oxygen atoms to store and release energy, potentially doubling the capacity of conventional cathodes. However, these promising materials still face major challenges, including rapid performance loss and poor stability during use. The OXYPOW project seeks to overcome these limitations by uncovering the fundamental link between how these materials are made (their synthesis), their atomic structure, and how they behave during operation in a battery.
Using advanced in situ characterization tools, the project aims to observe the atomic-level changes that occur during synthesis and battery cycling in real time. This will help design new, cobalt-free materials that can store more energy for longer periods, improving the efficiency and lifetime of future batteries.
By developing the scientific basis for next-generation, high-capacity, and ethically responsible lithium-ion batteries, OXYPOW supports the European Green Deal’s goals of clean energy, reduced raw material dependence, and sustainable industrial growth. Its results could ultimately help extend the range of electric vehicles, lower the cost of renewable energy storage, and reduce Europe’s reliance on critical raw materials, thereby delivering tangible economic, environmental, and societal benefits.
Recent discoveries have shown that lithium-rich cathode materials can use not only metal but also oxygen atoms to store and release energy, potentially doubling the capacity of conventional cathodes. However, these promising materials still face major challenges, including rapid performance loss and poor stability during use. The OXYPOW project seeks to overcome these limitations by uncovering the fundamental link between how these materials are made (their synthesis), their atomic structure, and how they behave during operation in a battery.
Using advanced in situ characterization tools, the project aims to observe the atomic-level changes that occur during synthesis and battery cycling in real time. This will help design new, cobalt-free materials that can store more energy for longer periods, improving the efficiency and lifetime of future batteries.
By developing the scientific basis for next-generation, high-capacity, and ethically responsible lithium-ion batteries, OXYPOW supports the European Green Deal’s goals of clean energy, reduced raw material dependence, and sustainable industrial growth. Its results could ultimately help extend the range of electric vehicles, lower the cost of renewable energy storage, and reduce Europe’s reliance on critical raw materials, thereby delivering tangible economic, environmental, and societal benefits.
The OXYPOW project aimed to uncover the synthesis–structure–property relationships governing the performance of cobalt-poor/free, oxygen-redox-active layered oxides (LLOs) for advanced lithium-ion batteries. During the action, the main scientific activities focused on the in situ study of the solid-state synthesis of LLO materials, employing advanced diffraction and total scattering techniques to elucidate the mechanisms of phase formation and structural evolution.
A major achievement of the project has been the implementation of in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and total scattering methodologies to monitor the crystallization pathways of Li-rich layered oxides in real time. Synchrotron experiments were conducted at beamline ID22 of the ESRF to obtain information on the evolution of atomic structure during layered oxide synthesis by various pathways. Although the subsequent data treatment and modeling proved challenging due to the complexity of the systems under investigation, the data analysis indicated local structural distortions and defect formation occurring during synthesis. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the structural mechanisms responsible for the stabilization of metastable phases in Li-rich layered oxides.
Another key result was the analysis of operando neutron powder diffraction (NPD) data from electrochemical cells containing layered transition-metal oxide cathodes. The operando data provided real-time insight into the structural evolution of both positive and negative electrodes during charge and discharge, revealing reversible lattice changes and phase transitions associated with lithium extraction and insertion. Interestingly, previously unidentified electrochemically active secondary phases were detected, undergoing reversible transformations across different voltage regions. These observations advance the understanding of degradation mechanisms, phase stability, and redox processes in layered oxide cathodes under realistic operating conditions. The results provide a valuable foundation for future operando investigations aimed at directly correlating structural evolution with electrochemical performance.
Furthermore, the expertise and methodologies developed during the project have led to the initiation of a new research line on solid-state electrolytes and their compatibility with layered cathode materials, extending the scientific scope of the OXYPOW project toward the realization of next-generation all-solid-state batteries with even higher potential energy density.
In summary, the OXYPOW project has provided significant advances in the real-time structural understanding of layered oxide synthesis and delivered new knowledge on their atomic-scale evolution. These achievements lay an important foundation for the rational design of sustainable, cobalt-free, high-capacity cathode materials and contribute to the broader goal of enabling cleaner and more efficient energy storage technologies in support of Europe’s green energy transition.
A major achievement of the project has been the implementation of in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and total scattering methodologies to monitor the crystallization pathways of Li-rich layered oxides in real time. Synchrotron experiments were conducted at beamline ID22 of the ESRF to obtain information on the evolution of atomic structure during layered oxide synthesis by various pathways. Although the subsequent data treatment and modeling proved challenging due to the complexity of the systems under investigation, the data analysis indicated local structural distortions and defect formation occurring during synthesis. These results will contribute to a better understanding of the structural mechanisms responsible for the stabilization of metastable phases in Li-rich layered oxides.
Another key result was the analysis of operando neutron powder diffraction (NPD) data from electrochemical cells containing layered transition-metal oxide cathodes. The operando data provided real-time insight into the structural evolution of both positive and negative electrodes during charge and discharge, revealing reversible lattice changes and phase transitions associated with lithium extraction and insertion. Interestingly, previously unidentified electrochemically active secondary phases were detected, undergoing reversible transformations across different voltage regions. These observations advance the understanding of degradation mechanisms, phase stability, and redox processes in layered oxide cathodes under realistic operating conditions. The results provide a valuable foundation for future operando investigations aimed at directly correlating structural evolution with electrochemical performance.
Furthermore, the expertise and methodologies developed during the project have led to the initiation of a new research line on solid-state electrolytes and their compatibility with layered cathode materials, extending the scientific scope of the OXYPOW project toward the realization of next-generation all-solid-state batteries with even higher potential energy density.
In summary, the OXYPOW project has provided significant advances in the real-time structural understanding of layered oxide synthesis and delivered new knowledge on their atomic-scale evolution. These achievements lay an important foundation for the rational design of sustainable, cobalt-free, high-capacity cathode materials and contribute to the broader goal of enabling cleaner and more efficient energy storage technologies in support of Europe’s green energy transition.
The OXYPOW project has advanced the understanding of how cobalt-poor/free, oxygen-redox-active lithium-rich layered oxides (LLOs) form and evolve during synthesis. Using in situ X-ray diffraction and total scattering, the project tracked crystallization processes in real time, revealing intermediate phases and key parameters influencing the final layered structure. In addition, operando neutron powder diffraction (NPD) experiments carried out on layered transition-metal oxide cathodes provided real-time insight into the structural evolution during electrochemical cycling. These measurements revealed reversible lattice changes, phase transitions, and previously unidentified electrochemically active secondary phases, offering new understanding of degradation mechanisms and redox processes under realistic operating conditions. Together, these results establish a foundation for the rational design of structurally stable, high-capacity cathode materials.
Importantly, the expertise and methods developed have also led to the initiation of a new research line on solid-state electrolytes and their compatibility with layered cathodes, extending the project’s impact toward next-generation all-solid-state batteries.
The results support the European Green Deal and EU Battery Strategy by contributing to the development of sustainable, cobalt-free, high-energy materials. To ensure further uptake and success, continued research on synthesis–performance relationships, access to advanced characterization facilities, and collaboration with industrial partners will be essential. In the longer term, these outcomes may enable improved energy density, reduced dependence on critical raw materials, and stronger European leadership in battery innovation.
Importantly, the expertise and methods developed have also led to the initiation of a new research line on solid-state electrolytes and their compatibility with layered cathodes, extending the project’s impact toward next-generation all-solid-state batteries.
The results support the European Green Deal and EU Battery Strategy by contributing to the development of sustainable, cobalt-free, high-energy materials. To ensure further uptake and success, continued research on synthesis–performance relationships, access to advanced characterization facilities, and collaboration with industrial partners will be essential. In the longer term, these outcomes may enable improved energy density, reduced dependence on critical raw materials, and stronger European leadership in battery innovation.