Simultaneously adjusting deformation and heat using a negative thermal expansion material to enhance electrochemical performance and safety of lithium-ion batteries

• Deformation and heat of NCA were simultaneously adjusted by a NTE material. • NTE enhances the thermal and structure stability of NCA. • NTE improves the kinetics and interface behavior of NCA. • NTE suppresses the side reactions and strain of NCA. • The enhancement of NCA by NTE becomes obvious under extreme conditions. Heat and deformation are extremely significant for battery performance and safety, and LiNi 0.85 Co 0.13 Al 0.02 O 2 (NCA) is attractive for high energy density. Herein, the deformation of NCA was effectively controlled by in situ removing the generated heat using a negative thermal expansion (NTE) material of ZrW 2 O 8 . The acceleration of ZrW 2 O 8 for NCA becomes more obvious under extreme conditions like elevated current densities and temperature. The discharge specific capacity of NZ5 reaches 162.1 mAh/g at 5.0C, and remains at 150.1 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 1.0C, 36.2 mAh/g higher than that of NCA. As temperature increases to 60 °C, the capacity of NZ5 remains at 160.2 mAh/g after 100 cycles, 20.2% improvement of NCA. The strain value of NZ5 after cycles is 66.3 με, much lower than 103.3 με of NCA. Simultaneously, ZrW 2 O 8 declines the heat of NCA from 29.7 to −2.0 J g −1 , so does side reactions. Combining abundant results, ZrW 2 O 8 enhancing mechanisms for NCA were discussed. The findings do matter to perfecting energy materials by simultaneously adjusting deformation and interface using heat.