Unveiling State-of-Charge Effects on Elastic Properties of LiCoO<sub>2</sub> via Deep Learning and Empirical Models

This study investigates the mechanical properties of LiCoO<sub>2</sub> (LCO) cathode materials under varying states of charge (SOCs) using both an empirical Buckingham potential model and a machine learning-based Deep Potential (DP) model. The results reveal a substantial decrease in You...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ijaz Ul Haq, Seungjun Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/14/7809
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Summary:This study investigates the mechanical properties of LiCoO<sub>2</sub> (LCO) cathode materials under varying states of charge (SOCs) using both an empirical Buckingham potential model and a machine learning-based Deep Potential (DP) model. The results reveal a substantial decrease in Young’s modulus with decreasing SOC. Analysis of stress factors identified pairwise interactions, particularly those involving Co<sup>3+</sup> and Co<sup>4+</sup>, as key drivers of this mechanical evolution. The DP model demonstrated superior performance by providing consistent and reliable predictions reflected in a smooth and monotonic stiffness decrease with SOC, in contrast to the large fluctuations observed in the classical Buckingham potential results. The study further identifies the increasing dominance of Co<sup>4+</sup> interactions at low SOCs as a contributor to localized stress concentrations, which may accelerate crack initiation and mechanical degradation. These findings underscore the DP model’s capability to capture SOC-dependent mechanical behavior accurately, establishing it as a robust tool for modeling battery materials. Moreover, the calculated SOC-dependent mechanical properties can serve as critical input for continuum-scale models, improving their predictive capability for chemo-mechanical behavior and degradation processes. This integrated multiscale modeling approach can offer valuable insights for developing strategies to enhance the durability and performance of lithium-ion battery materials.
ISSN:2076-3417