Methods of Synthesizing Single-Crystal LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2 and Applications of these Materials

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to lithium-ion batteries. In one aspect, a method includes synthesizing an intermediate selected from a group of a nickel-manganese-cobalt nitrate, a nickel-manganese-cobalt acetate, a nickel-manganese-cobalt sulfate, a nickel-manganese-cobalt chloride, and a nickel-manganese-cobalt phosphate. The intermediate is mixed with a lithium salt selected from a group of LiOH, LiCl, LiNO, LiSO, LiF, LiBr, LiPO, LiCO, and combinations thereof to form a mixture. The mixture is annealed at a sequence of temperatures and times to form a plurality of single crystals of a lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide, with no cooling of the mixture between operations of the sequence of temperatures and times.