Fig. 6. Schematic and characterization of chemo-mechanical degradation in uncoated SC-NMC particles after high-voltage cycling.

A Schematic showing the onset of lattice gliding, subsequent microcrack formation, and its growth in (sub)surface and intra-particle cracking. B HAADF-STEM image of uncoated SC-NMC particle after 500 cycles at 1C rate (3 mA·cm⁻²) and a voltage limit of 4.7 V vs Li/Li⁺ shows a serrated surface resulting from lattice gliding and (sub)surface cracking. C Zoomed-in images of the cracks highlighted by the white box in (B) and FFTs from different marked regions. FIB-SEM cross-section images of uncoated SC-NMC electrode after 500 cycles at a 1C rate (3 mA·cm⁻²) and a voltage limit of 4.7 V vs Li/Li⁺ showing (D) (sub)surface and (E) intra-particle cracks.