Cathode lithium-rich compensators for next-generation lithium-ion batteries: classification framework, challenges, and synergistic prelithiation strategies
This review addresses active lithium loss during the initial cycling and long-term operation of lithium-ion batteries by establishing a classification framework for cathode lithium-rich compensators (LRCs) based on lithium compensation mechanisms, covering binary, ternary, over-lithiated, sacrificial lithium salt, and sustained-release types; it systematically summarizes their working principles, typical charge compensation pathways, and practical performance, discusses key challenges including air instability, gas evolution, high delithiation voltage, and processing issues, highlights mitigation strategies involving nanoscale engineering, surface coating, defect and doping design, and electrolyte optimization, and further proposes a synergistic multimodal lithium-compensation strategy int