Flash Synthesis of High‐Performance Sub‐Micron Low‐Disorder LiNi _<i>x</i> Co _<i>y</i> Al _<i>z</i> O ₂ Cathode Single Crystals

A rapid solid‐state flash heat and quench (FHQ) synthesis approach has been used to facilitate the rapid formation of layered NCA Li‐ion cathodes with low structural defects. LiNi x Co y Al z O 2 (NCA) materials prepared by FHQ reveal impressive gravimetric capacity at C/10 and 10C discharge rates (195 and 150 mAh g −1 , respectively) after a few minutes of heating a co‐precipitate mixture with LiOH, providing &gt;95% reduction in energy needed for heat‐treatment versus conventional solid state synthesis routes. Combined X‐ray diffraction, neutron scattering with pair‐distribution‐function analysis, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy for a range of heat‐treated samples are used to identify the point at which Ni 2+ −Li + antisite defects are minimized in these materials, which is critical to their electrochemical performance.