Issue 24, 2012

Synthesis and Li-storage behavior of CrN nanoparticles

Abstract

Bulk CrN nanoparticles are prepared by the thermal decomposition of a Cr–urea complex in a flowing NH3 + N2 atmosphere and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) along with selective area electron diffraction (SAED) techniques. The Li-cycling performance of bulk CrN is evaluated by galvanostatic cycling and cyclic voltammetry on the cells with Li metal as counter electrode in the voltage range of 0.005–3.0 (3.5) V at ambient temperature. When cycled at 60 mA g−1 (0.1 C) up to 3.0 V, the composition 55 : 30 : 15 (active material : carbon : binder) showed a first-cycle reversible capacity of 635 (±10) mA h g−1 (1.6 moles of Li). The reversible capacity of 500 (±10) mA h g−1 (1.23 moles of Li) is stable between 10 and 80 cycles. At 0.5 C, it showed a stable capacity of 350 (±10) mA h g−1 for 40 cycles and the original capacity is regained when cycled at 0.1 C rate after 160 cycles. The coulombic efficiency is found to be >96% in the range of 20–80 cycles. The low impedance at the discharge potential <1.3 V and high impedance at charge potential 3.0 V evaluated from the impedance spectra (EIS) showed the decomposition and formation of CrN during the 1st cycle. The apparent DLi+ obtained from EIS is in the range, 0.73–3.6 (±0.1) × 10−14 cm2 s−1 during the first-cycle.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis and Li-storage behavior of CrN nanoparticles

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Jun 2012
Accepted
06 Aug 2012
First published
07 Aug 2012

RSC Adv., 2012,2, 9022-9028

Synthesis and Li-storage behavior of CrN nanoparticles

B. Das, M. V. Reddy, G. V. Subba Rao and B. V. R. Chowdari, RSC Adv., 2012, 2, 9022 DOI: 10.1039/C2RA21136J

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