Which correctly pairs lithium-ion battery cathode materials with their crystal structures?

Answer: B. LiCoO₂ is layered rock salt, LiMn₂O₄ is spinel and LiFePO₄ is olivine

LiCoO₂ has the layered rock salt structure (α-NaFeO₂ type), with Li layers and Co layers alternating within close-packed oxygen, and Li⁺ moves two-dimensionally between the layers. LiMn₂O₄ is a spinel, with three-dimensionally connected Li⁺ pathways within its Mn–O framework and an operating voltage of about 4 V. LiFePO₄ has the olivine structure, the same as the mineral olivine, in which Li⁺ moves along one-dimensional tunnels in a framework of PO₄ tetrahedra and FeO₆ octahedra, with an operating voltage of about 3.4 V. The other two choices shuffle the names of these three structures. Layered, spinel and olivine are the three basic structures used to classify cathode materials.