Progress on the Failure Mechanisms and Optimization Strategies on Lithium Iron Phosphate

ABSTRACT

Lithium iron phosphate has become a prominent cathode material for power batteries and energy storage systems, owing to its high safety, long cycle life, and cost‐effectiveness. Nevertheless, its inherent limitations—such as low intrinsic electronic conductivity and structural degradation during cycling—continue to restrict its application in high‐performance scenarios. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in understanding the failure mechanisms of LFP cathodes, including phase transitions and lattice defects arising from repeated lithium insertion/extraction, irreversible active lithium loss, metal impurity‐induced interfacial failure, side reactions at the anode interface, and so on. Corresponding optimization strategies are discussed, such as metal ion doping, surface coating, SEI interface engineering, and other emerging modification methods aimed at enhancing ionic and electronic transport dynamics. Looking forward, we highlight that future research will focus on multiscale collaborative design and dynamic interface management. The integration of in situ characterization, materials genomics, and intelligent algorithms is expected to deepen the mechanistic understanding of failure modes and accelerate the development of LFP‐based batteries toward higher energy density, improved safety, and extended cycle life.