Progress of lithium manganese iron phosphate in blended cathode materials

Abstract

Cathode materials are crucial for lithium-ion battery (LIB) performance, significantly affecting cost, energy density, cycle life, rate performance, and safety. However, a single cathode usually cannot satisfy diverse performance requirements. With the development of LIBs technology, blending two or more different cathode materials can achieve a more balanced electrochemical performance than a single component. The olivine-type LiMn_xFe_1-xPO₄ material is a derivative of LiFePO₄, and LiMn_xFe_1-xPO₄ is promising for LIBs due to its high energy density, low cost, environmental friendliness, and safety. Its voltage plateau also matches that of oxide-type cathode materials, making it suitable for blended cathode materials systems. This paper reviews the characteristics of LiMn_xFe_1-xPO₄ cathode material and its electrochemical performance when combined with other oxide cathode materials to form blended materials. Based on current results, it also discusses future research directions, suggesting strategies such as combining LiMn_xFe_1-xPO₄ with higher Mn content and optimizing battery fabrication processes to enhance safety, energy density, and wide-temperature performance of blended cathode battery systems.