Abstract

Advancing sodium-ion battery (SIB) technology requires novel approaches to optimize cathode materials for improved electrochemical performance. In this study, we employ atomic layer deposition (ALD) to precisely modify the surface of P2-type Na0.7MnO2 cathodes with different coating materials including ZnO, NiO, and Al2O3, followed by post-annealing at 750°C for 10 hours. The strategic combination of ALD and thermal treatment can achieve thin film coating on particle surface and promote element doping into the near-surface lattice, as confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis. The incorporation of Zn, Al, and Ni results in localized Mn–O–M (M = Zn, Al, Ni) bonding environments, which enhance structural stability and interfacial integrity. ZnO-coated cathodes exhibited exceptional cycling stability, Al2O3 coatings offered excellent rate performance, and NiO coatings provided a balanced improvement in stability and capacity retention. These findings show that the functional enhancement of Na0.7MnO2 is highly reliant on the coating material selection, enabling tailored performance enhancements for specific application requirements. This study emphasizes ALD as a powerful tool for realizing the full potential of SIB cathodes, paving the way for more efficient, long-lasting, and scalable energy storage systems.

Department(s)

Chemistry

Second Department

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Publication Status

Open Access

Comments

Washington University in St. Louis, Grant 2155175

Keywords and Phrases

Annealing; Atomic layer deposition (ALD); Element doping; Sodium ion battery (SIB); Surface coating

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0013-4686

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2025 Elsevier; International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

20 Nov 2025

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