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The performance and life of Li-ion battery cathode materials are determined by both the composition (crystal structure and transition metal ratio) and the morphology (particle size, size distribution, and surface area). Careful control of these two aspects is the key to long lasting, high-energy batteries that can undergo fast charge. Developing such cathodes requires manipulation of the synthesis conditions, namely the coprecipitation process to develop the precursor and a calcination step to lithiate and convert it to a transition metal oxide. In this paper, we utilize a combination of controlled synthesis, microscopic and spectroscopic characterization, and multi-scale mathematical modeling to shed light on the synthesis of cathode precursors. The complex interplay between the various chemical reactions in the co-precipitation process is studied to provide experimentalists with guidance on achieving composition control …