Abstract

The rapid rise of electric vehicles has dramatically increased the demand for high-performance batteries, especially those using advanced anode and cathode materials. Traditionally, the production of such materials depends on furnaces or solvothermal reactors, where heat is transferred to precursors through radiation, convection, or conduction. Although these methods are effective, they are highly energy-intensive, time-consuming, and contribute significantly to CO₂ emissions. In addition, the structural and textural properties of battery materials are extremely sensitive to processing parameters such as temperature, heating and cooling rates, duration, and atmospheric conditions. To overcome these challenges, our research group has developed an advanced and energy-efficient rapid heating technique for synthesizing battery materials. By utilizing ultrafast direct heating, we have successfully produced high-purity anode and cathode materials with well-controlled structures in a fraction of the time required by conventional methods. These electrodes exhibit outstanding discharge capacities—approaching their theoretical limits—along with excellent cycling stability. This breakthrough not only demonstrates a sustainable pathway for cathode manufacturing but also opens new opportunities to apply rapid heating strategies to a broad range of oxide materials for next-generation energy storage technologies.