Topological Protection of Oxygen Redox in Li-Rich Cathodes

Lithium-rich layered oxides (LRLOs) are regarded as promising candidates for next-generation cathode materials because of their high energy density derived from anionic redox activity. Recent years have seen increasing efforts in promoting the cyclability of LRLO cathodes, at the core of which is the suppression of irreversible internal structural evolution during cycling. The present article aims to provide an informative perspective on the materials design strategies related to the issue of oxygen release. Emphasis is placed on the underlying chemistry of oxygen redox in LRLOs and the strategies based on material topology that can mitigate oxygen migration to the cathode surface. We speculate that these insights could guide researchers in developing high-capacity cathodes with intrinsically high reversibility of oxygen redox.