Effects of microwave irradiation on the electrochemical performance of manganese-based cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Microwave-assisted synthesis has continued to be adopted for the preparation of high-performance manganese-based cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The technique is fast, energy-efficient and has significant positive impacts on the general physico-chemical properties of the cathode materials: LiMn₂O₄, LiMn_1.5Ni_0.5O₄, and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides. Despite the advantages of microwave-assisted synthesis, this review reveals that the application is still limited. In our opinion, increased basic knowledge of the microwave process and availability of safe and reliable instrumentation could be a great opportunity for the commercial realization of low-cost and energy-dense Mn-based cathode materials for the next-generation lithium-ion batteries.