Nanomechanical Quantification of Elastic, Plastic, and Fracture Properties of LiCoO₂

Abstract

Young's elastic modulus, hardness, and fracture toughness (KIc) of individual grains are reported for polycrystalline LiCoO2, a metal oxide cathode used in lithium-ion batteries, as measured via instrumented nanoindentation (indentations within circled locations; dashed line indicates grain boundary). The wide range of KIc does not correlate strongly with grain orientation.