Influence of integrated microstructure on the performance of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 as a cathodic material for lithium ion batteries

Yongjie Chen; Ping Li; Sijia Zhao; Yan Zhuang; Shiyong Zhao; Qun Zhou; Junwei Zheng

doi:10.1039/C7RA04206J

Influence of integrated microstructure on the performance of LiNi_0.8Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂ as a cathodic material for lithium ion batteries†

Yongjie Chen,^ab Ping Li,^b Sijia Zhao,^a Yan Zhuang,^ab Shiyong Zhao,^c Qun Zhou*^a and Junwei Zheng

*^ab

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* Corresponding authors

^a College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China
E-mail: zhq@suda.edu.cn

^b College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, P. R. China
E-mail: jwzheng@suda.edu.cn

^c Zhangjiagang Guotai Huarong New Chemical Material Co., Ltd, Zhangjiagang, P. R. China

Abstract

Microstructures of active materials may definitively determine the performance of lithium ion batteries. Herein, we develop a facile approach to synthesize porous LiNi_0.8Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂ (NCA) with uniform Al distribution by a two-step solid reaction with assistance of spray drying. Relative to the randomly aggregated counterpart, the NCA microspheres with an integrated framework and porous structure result in not only a profitable accessibility of the electrolyte, but also a favorable interfacial behavior. The porous NCA spheres exhibit a superior electrochemical performance with a discharge capacity of 202.1 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.1C and 151 mA h g⁻¹ at 2C, and capacity retention of 74.5% after 500 cycles at 2C. These are ascribed to the integrated network accumulating the stress generated during cycling to maintain the structural stability of the spheres. As a result, less solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film is formed at the interface of the resulting electrode, consequently leading to a lower resistance of charge transfer, and better rate capability and cycling performance, compared to those of the electrode with the aggregated counterpart. Thereby, a purposeful engineering of the microstructures of the NCA materials would be important to achieve an optimal electrochemical performance of the electrode material.

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Article information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C7RA04206J
Article type: Paper
Submitted: 13 Apr 2017
Accepted: 29 May 2017
First published: 05 Jun 2017
This article is Open Access

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RSC Adv., 2017,7, 29233-29239

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Influence of integrated microstructure on the performance of LiNi_0.8Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂ as a cathodic material for lithium ion batteries

Y. Chen, P. Li, S. Zhao, Y. Zhuang, S. Zhao, Q. Zhou and J. Zheng, RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 29233 DOI: 10.1039/C7RA04206J

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