Mn Ion Dissolution Mechanism for Lithium-Ion Battery with LiMn2O4 Cathode: In Situ Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy and Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The dissolution of transition-metal (TM) cations into a liquid electrolyte from cathode material, such as Mn ion dissolution from LiMn₂O₄ (LMO), is detrimental to the cycling performance of Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Though much attention has been paid to this issue, the behavior of Mn dissolution has not been clearly revealed. In this work, by using a refined in situ ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy technique, we monitored the concentration changes of dissolved Mn ions in liquid electrolyte from LMO at different state of charge (SOC), confirming the maximum dissolution concentration and rate at 4.3 V charged state and Mn²⁺ as the main species in the electrolyte. Through ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations, we revealed that the Mn dissolution process is highly related to surface structure evolution, solvent decomposition, and lithium salt. These results will contribute to understanding TM dissolution mechanisms at working conditions as well as the design of stable cathodes.