Gel-combustion synthesis and electrochemical performance of LiNi₁/₃Mn₁/₃Co₁/₃O₂ as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries
By Wang, Ying; Zhang, Hong; Chen, Wenhao; Ma, Zhiyuan & Li, Zhicheng
Published in RSC Adv.
The Royal Society of Chemistry
2014
Abstract
Layered structure LiNi₁/₃Mn₁/₃Co₁/₃O₂ (LNMC) powders were synthesized by a gel-combustion method and were calcined at 750, 800, 900 and 1000 °C, respectively. The analysis of phase composition and microstructure results show that the prepared LNMC powders have the layered structure with high order level and low cationic mixing degree. As a working electrode via Li in lithium batteries, the powders calcined at 900 °C for 5 h exhibit high electrochemical performance with an initial discharge capacity of 210 mA h g⁻¹ at a current density of 40 mA g⁻¹, good cycling performance and rate capacity. Detailed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the LNMCs, which had been induced at various charge-discharge stages, revealed that the discharge capacities of the LNMC were mainly resulted from the redox reactions of Ni²⁺ ↔ Ni³⁺↔Ni⁴⁺, and were also partially attributed to the Co³⁺ ↔ Co⁴⁺ redox couple at electrochemical potentials above 4.1 V, while Mn⁴⁺ ions were electrochemically inactive during the charge-discharge processes.