Optimum Preparation Conditions of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.2)O_2 and LiNi_(0.95)Ce_(0.05)O_2 as Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials

The preparation of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.2)O_2 was discussed by the multiply sintering method for solid reaction, in which the sintered material was smashed, ground and pelletted between two successive sintering steps. The optimum technological condition was obtained through orthogonal experiments by L_9(3~4) and DTA analysis. The result indicates that the factors of effecting the electrochemical properties of synthesized LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.2)O_2 are molar ratio of Li/Ni/Co, oxygen pressure, homothermal time, the final sintering temperature in turn according to its importance. The oxygen pressure is reviewed independently and the technological condition is further optimized. With the same method, rare earth element Ce was studied as substitute element of Co and the cathode material of LiNi_(0.95)Ce_(0.05)O_2 with excellent electrochemical properties was prepared. The electrochemical testing results of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.2)O_2 and LiNi_(0.95)Ce_(0.05)O_2 experimental batteries show that discharge capacities of them reach 165 and 148 mAh·g^(-1) respectively and the persistence is more than 9 h at 3.7 V.

Enhancement of electrochemical performance in lithium-ion battery via tantalum oxide coated nickel-rich cathode materials

Nickel-rich cathode materials are increasingly being applied in commercial lithium-ion batteries to realize higher specific capacity as well as improved energy density.However,low structural stability and rapid capacity decay at high voltage and temperature hinder their rapid large-scale application.Herein,a wet chemical method followed by a post-annealing process is utilized to realize the surface coating of tantalum oxide on LiNi_(0.88)Mn_(0.03)Co_(0.09)O_(2),and the electrochemical performance is improved.The modified Li Ni_(0.88)Mn_(0.03)Co_(0.09)O_(2)displays an initial discharge capacity of~233 m Ah/g at0.1 C and 174 m Ah/g at 1 C after 150 cycles in the voltage range of 3.0 V–4.4 V at 45℃,and it also exhibits an enhanced rate capability with 118 m Ah/g at 5 C.The excellent performance is due to the introduction of tantalum oxide as a stable and functional layer to protect the surface of LiNi_(0.88)Mn_(0.03)Co_(0.09)O_(2),and the surface side reactions and cation mixing are suppressed at the same time without hampering the charge transfer kinetics.

Regeneration of Al-doped LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2) cathode material by simulated hydrometallurgy leachate of spent lithium-ion batteries

A uniform Al-doped LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2) cathode material was prepared using a coprecipitation method to take advantage of the positive effect of Al on regenerated NCM(Ni,Co,Mn)cathode materials and ameliorate cumbersome and high-cost impurity removal processes during lithium-ion battery recycling.When the Al^(3+) content in the leachate was 1 at.%with respect to the total amount of transition metals(Ni,Co,and Mn),the produced Al-doped NCM cathode material increased concentrations of lattice oxygen and Ni^(2+).The initial specific capacity at 0.1C was 167.4 mA·h/g,with a capacity retention of 79.1%after 400 cycles at 1C.Further,this Al-doped sample showed improved rate performance and a smaller electrochemical impedance.These findings provide a reference for developing industrial processes to resynthesize cathode materials with improved electrochemical performance by incorporating Al^(3+) impurities produced during lithium-ion battery recycling.

Influences of transition metal on structural and electrochemical properties of Li[Ni_xCo_yMn_z]O_2(0.6≤x≤0.8) cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Li[NixCoyMn2]O2（0.6≤x≤0.8） cathode materials with a typical hexagonal α-NaFeO2 structure were prepared utilizing a co-precipitation method.It is found that the ratio of peak intensities of（003） to（104） observed from X-ray diffraction（XRD）increases with decreasing the Ni content or increasing the Co content.The scanning electron microscopy（SEM） images reveal that the small primary particles are agglomerated to form the secondary ones.As the Mn content increases,the primary and secondary particles become larger and the resulted particle size for the Li[Ni（0.6）Co（0.2）Mn（0.2）]O2 is uniformly distributed in the range of100-300 nm.Although the initial discharge capacity of the Li/Li[NixCoyMn2]O2 cells reduces with decreasing the Ni content,the cyclic performance and rate capability are improved with higher Mn or Co content.The Li[Ni（0.6）Co（0.2）Mn（0.2）]O2 can deliver excellent cyclability with a capacity retention of 97.1%after 50 cycles.

Effect of lithium content on electrochemical property of Li_(1+x)(Mn_(0.6)Ni_(0.2)Co_(0.2))_(1-x)O_2(0≤x≤0.3) composite cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

In order to confirm the optimal Li content of Li-rich Mn-based cathode materials(a fixed mole ratio of Mn to Ni to Co is0.6:0.2:0.2),Li1+x(Mn0.6Ni0.2Co0.2)1-xO2(x=0,0.1,0.2,0.3)composites were obtained,which had a typical layered structure with R3m and C2/m space group observed from X-ray powder diffraction(XRD).Electron microscopy micrograph(SEM)reveals that the particle sizes in the range of0.4-1.1μm increase with an increase of x value.Li1.2(Mn0.6Ni0.2Co0.2)0.8O2sample delivers a larger initial discharge capacity of275.7mA·h/g at the current density of20mA/g in the potential range of2.0-4.8V,while Li1.1(Mn0.6Ni0.2Co0.2)0.9O2shows a better cycle performance with a capacity retention of93.8%at0.2C after50cycles,showing better reaction kinetics of lithium ion insertion and extraction.

Difficulties, strategies, and recent research and development of layered sodium transition metal oxide cathode materials for high-energy sodium-ion batteries

Energy-storage systems and their production have attracted significant interest for practical applications.Batteries are the foundation of sustainable energy sources for electric vehicles(EVs),portable electronic devices(PEDs),etc.In recent decades,Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) have been extensively utilized in largescale energy storage devices owing to their long cycle life and high energy density.However,the high cost and limited availability of Li are the two main obstacles for LIBs.In this regard,sodium-ion batteries(SIBs) are attractive alternatives to LIBs for large-scale energy storage systems because of the abundance and low cost of sodium materials.Cathode is one of the most important components in the battery,which limits cost and performance of a battery.Among the classified cathode structures,layered structure materials have attracted attention because of their high ionic conductivity,fast diffusion rate,and high specific capacity.Here,we present a comprehensive review of the classification of layered structures and the preparation of layered materials.Furthermore,the review article discusses extensively about the issues of the layered materials,namely(1) electrochemical degradation,(2) irreversible structural changes,and(3) structural instability,and also it provides strategies to overcome the issues such as elemental phase composition,a small amount of elemental doping,structural design,and surface alteration for emerging SIBs.In addition,the article discusses about the recent research development on layered unary,binary,ternary,quaternary,quinary,and senary-based O3-and P2-type cathode materials for high-energy SIBs.This review article provides useful information for the development of high-energy layered sodium transition metal oxide P2 and O3-cathode materials for practical SIBs.

Modification strategies improving the electrochemical and structural stability of high-Ni cathode materials

With the increasing spotlight in electric vehicles,there is a growing demand for high-energy-density batteries to enhance driving range.Consequently,several studies have been conducted on high-energy-density LiNi_(x)Co_(y)Mn_(z)O_(2)cathodes.However,there is a limit to permanent performance deterioration because of side reactions caused by moisture in the atmosphere and continuous microcracks during cycling as the Ni content to express high energy increases and the content of Mn and Co that maintain structural and electrochemical stabilization decreases.The direct modification of the surface and bulk regions aims to enhance the capacity and long-term performance of high-Ni cathode materials.Therefore,an efficient modification requires a study based on a thorough understanding of the degradation mechanisms in the surface and bulk region.In this review,a comprehensive analysis of various modifications,including doping,coating,concentration gradient,and single crystals,is conducted to solve degradation issues along with an analysis of the overall degradation mechanism occurring in high-Ni cathode materials.It also summarizes recent research developments related to the following modifications,aims to provide notable points and directions for post-studies,and provides valuable references for the commercialization of stable high-energy-density cathode materials.

Hydrometallurgical recovery of lithium carbonate and iron phosphate from blended cathode materials of spent lithium-ion battery

The recycling of cathode materials from spent lithium-ion battery has attracted extensive attention,but few research have focused on spent blended cathode materials.In reality,the blended materials of lithium iron phosphate and ternary are widely used in electric vehicles,so it is critical to design an effective recycling technique.In this study,an efficient method for recovering Li and Fe from the blended cathode materials of spent LiFePO_(4)and LiNi_(x)Co_(y)Mn_(1-x-y)O_(2)batteries is proposed.First,87%A1 was removed by alkali leaching.Then,91.65%Li,72.08%Ni,64.6%Co and 71.66%Mn were further separated by selective leaching with H_(2)SO_(4)and H_(2)O_(2).Li,Ni,Co and Mn in solution were recovered in the form of Li_(2)CO_(3)and hydroxide respectively.Subsequently,98.38%Fe was leached from the residue by two stage process,and it is recovered as FePO_(4)·2H_(2)O with a purity of 99.5%by precipitation.Fe and P were present in FePO_(4)·2H_(2)O in amounts of 28.34%and 15.98%,respectively.Additionally,the drift and control of various components were discussed,and cost-benefit analysis was used to assess the feasibility of potential application.

Direct regeneration of LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2) cathode material from spent lithium-ion batteries

At present,metal ions from spent lithium-ion batteries are mostly recovered by the acid leaching procedure,which unavoidably introduces potential pollutants to the environment.Therefore,it is necessary to develop more direct and effective green recycling methods.In this research,a method for the direct regeneration of anode materials is reported,which includes the particles size reduction of recovered raw materials by jet milling and ball milling,followed by calcination at high temperature after lithium supplementation.The regenerated LiNi_(0.5)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.3)O_(2) single-crystal cathode material possessed a relatively ideal layered structure and a complete surface morphology when the lithium content was n(Ni+Co+Mn):n(Li)=1:1.10 at a sintering temperature of 920 0 C,and a sintering time of 12 h.The first discharge specific capacity was 154.87 mA·h·g^(-1) between 2.75 V and 4.2 V,with a capacity retention rate of 90% after 100 cycles.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of Cr-doped Li_3V_2(PO_4)_3 Cathode Materials for Lithium-ion Batteries

Cr-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 cathode materials Li3V2-xCr（PO4）3 were prepared by a carbothermal reduction（CTR） process. The properties of the Cr-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 were investigated by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopic （SEM）, and electrochemical measurements Results show that the Cr-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 has the same monoclinic structure as the undoped Li3V2（PO4）3, and the particle size of Cr-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 is smaller than that of the undoped Li3V2（PO4）3 and the smallest particle size is only about 1 1μm. The Cr-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 samples were investigated on the Li extraction/insertion performances through charge/discharge, cyclic voltammogram （CV）, and electrochemical impedance spectra（EIS）. The optimal doping content of Cr was that x=0.04 in the Li3V2-xCrx（PO4）3 samples to achieve high discharge capacity and good cyclic stability. The electrode reaction reversibility was enhanced, and the charge transfer resistance was decreased through the Cr-doping. The improved electrochemical performances of the Cr-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 cathode materials are attributed to the addition of Cr^3＋ ion by stabilizing the monoclinic structure.

Effect of Mn-doping on performance of Li_3V_2(PO_4)_3/C cathode material for lithium ion batteries

Li3V2-2/3xMnx（PO4）3（0≤x≤0.12） powders were synthesized by sol-gel method. The effect of Mn2＋-doping on the structure and electrochemical performances of Li3V2（PO4）3/C was characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, galvanostatic charge /discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy（EIS）. The XRD study shows that a small amount of Mn2＋-doped does not alter the structure of Li3V2（PO4）3/C materials, and all Mn2＋-doped samples are of pure single phase with a monoclinic structure （space group P21/n）. The XPS analysis indicates that valences state of V and Mn are ＋3 and ＋2 in Li3V1.94Mn0.09（PO4）3/C, respectively, and the citric acid in raw materials was decomposed into carbon during calcination, and residual carbon exists in Li3V1.94Mn0.09（PO4）/C. The results of electrochemical measurements show that Mn2＋-doping can improve the cyclic stability and rate performance of these cathode materials. The Li3V1.94Mn0.09（PO4）3/C cathode material shows the best cyclic stability and rate performance. For example, at the discharge current density of 40 mA/g, after 100 cycles, the discharge capacity of Li3V1.94Mn0.09（PO4）3/C declines from initial 158.8 mA·h/g to 120.5 mA·h/g with a capacity retention of 75.9%; however, that of the Mn-undoed sample declines from 164.2 mA·h/g to 72.6 mA·h/g with a capacity retention of 44.2%. When the discharge current is increased up to 1C, the intial discharge capacity of Li3V1.94Mn0.09（PO4）3/C still reaches 146.4 mA·h/g, and the discharge capacity maintains at 107.5 mA·h/g after 100 cycles. The EIS measurement indicates that Mn2＋-doping with a appropriate amount of Mn2＋ decreases the charge transfer resistance, which is favorable for the insertion/extraction of Li＋.

A closed-loop process for recycling LiNi_xCo_yMn_((1-x-y))O_2 from mixed cathode materials of lithium-ion batteries

With the rapid development of consumer electronics and electric vehicles(EV), a large number of spent lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) have been generated worldwide. Thus, effective recycling technologies to recapture a significant amount of valuable metals contained in spent LIBs are highly desirable to prevent the environmental pollution and resource depletion. In this work, a novel recycling technology to regenerate a LiNi_(1/3)Co_(1/3)Mn_(1/3)O_2 cathode material from spent LIBs with different cathode chemistries has been developed. By dismantling, crushing,leaching and impurity removing, the LiNi_(1/3)Co_(1/3)Mn_(1/3)O_2(selected as an example of LiNi_xCo_yMn_(1-x-y)O_2) powder can be directly prepared from the purified leaching solution via co-precipitation followed by solid-state synthesis. For comparison purposes, a fresh-synthesized sample with the same composition has also been prepared using the commercial raw materials via the same method. X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and electrochemical measurements have been carried out to characterize these samples. The electrochemical test result suggests that the re-synthesized sample delivers cycle performance and low rate capability which are comparable to those of the freshsynthesized sample. This novel recycling technique can be of great value to the regeneration of a pure and marketable LiNi_xCo_yMn_(1-x-y)O_2 cathode material with low secondary pollution.

Hydrothermal synthesis of spindle-like Li_2FeSiO_4-C composite as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

In this paper,we report on the preparation of Li2FeSiO4,sintered Li2FeSiO4,and Li2FeSiO4-C composite with spindle-like morphologies and their application as cathode materials of lithium-ion batteries.Spindle-like Li2FeSi04 was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method with（NH4）2Fe（SO4）2 as the iron source.The spindle-like Li2FeSiO4 was sintered at 600 ℃ for 6 h in Ar atmosphere.Li2FeSiO4-C composite was obtained by the hydrothermal treatment of spindle-like Li2FeSiO4 in glucose solution at 190 ℃ for 3 h.Electrochemical measurements show that after carbon coating,the electrode performances such as discharge capacity and high-rate capability are greatly enhanced.In particular.Li2FeSiO4-C with carbon content of 7.21 wt%delivers the discharge capacities of 160.9 mAh·g-1 at room temperature and 213 mAh·g-1 at45℃（0.1 C）,revealing the potential application in lithium-ion batteries.

Facile synthesis of porous LiNiVO_4 powder as high-voltage cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Porous LiNiVO4 powder was synthesized via solution combustion synthesis method using lithium nitrate, nickel nitrate,ammonium metavanadate and citric acid as raw materials. Thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC),X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used toevaluate the structures and morphologies of samples. The results show that the calcination temperature has significant effect on thecrystallinity and morphologies. Pure LiNiVO4 flaky nanoparticles with a mean particle size around 20 nm can be readily prepared bycalcining the precursor in air at 500 °C for 2 h. As a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, the porous LiNiVO4 powder exhibits agood structural reversibility.

Cation mixing (Li_(0.5)Fe_(0.5))_2SO_4F cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

We study the crystal structure of a triplite-structured （Li0.5Fe0.5）SO4F with full Li＋/Fe2＋ mixing. This promising polyanion cathode material for lithium-ion batteries operates at 3.9 V versus Li＋/Li with a theoretical capacity of 151 mAh/g. Its unique cation mixing structure does not block the Li＋ diffusion and results in a small lattice volume change during the charge/discharge process. The calculations show that it has a three-dimensional network for Li-ion migration with an activation energy ranging from 0.53 eV to 0.68 eV, which is comparable with that in LiFePO4 with only one-dimensional channels. This work suggests that further exploring cathode materials with full cation mixing for Li-ion batteries will be valuable.

Preparation and electrochemical properties of Y-doped Li_3V_2(PO_4)_3 cathode materials for lithium batteries

Y-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 cathode materials were prepared by a carbothermal reduction（CTR） process.The properties of the Y-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 were investigated by X-ray diffraction（XRD） and electrochemical measurements.XRD studies showed that the Y-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 had the same monoclinic structure as the undoped Li3V2（PO4）3.The Y-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 samples were investigated on the Li extraction/insertion performances through charge/discharge, cyclic voltammogram（CV）, and electrochemical impedance spectra（EIS）.The optimal doping content of Y was x=0.03 in Li3V2-xYx（PO4）3 system.The Y-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 samples showed a better cyclic ability.The electrode reaction reversibility was enhanced, and the charge transfer resistance was decreased through the Y-doping.The improved electrochemical perormances of the Y-doped Li3V2（PO4）3 cathode materials were attributed to the addition of Y3＋ ion by stabilizing the monoclinic structure.

Influence of Doping Rare Earth on Performance of Lithium Manganese Oxide Spinels as Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Some rare earth doping spinel LiMn_(2-x)RE_xO_4 (RE=La, Ce, Nd) cathode materials for lithium ion batteries were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method. The structure characteristics of these produced samples were investigated by XRD, SEM, and particle size distribution analysis. According to the microstructure and charge-discharge testing, the effect of doping rare earth on stabilizing the spinel structure was analyzed. Through a series of doping experiments, it is shown that when the doping content x within the range of 0.01～0.02 the cycle performance of the materials is greatly improved. The discharge capacity of the sample LiMn_(1.98)La_(0.02)O_4, LiMn_(1.98)Ce_(0.02)O_4 and LiMn_(1.98)Nd_(0.02)O_4 remain 119.1, 114.2 and 117.5 mAh·g^(-1) after 50 cycles.

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of Al-doped LiVPO_4F cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Al-doped LiVPO4F cathode materials LiAlxV1-xPO4F were prepared by two-step reactions based on a car-bothermal reduction （CTR） process. The properties of the Al-doped LiVPO4F were investigated by X-ray diffraction （XRD）,scanning electron microscopy （SEM）,and electrochemical measurements. XRD studies show that the Al-doped LiVPO4F has the same triclinic structure （space group p-↑1 ） as the undoped LiVPO4F. The SEM images exhibit that the particle size of Al-doped LiVPO4F is smaller than that of the undoped LiVPO4F and that the smallest particle size is only about 1 μm. The Al-doped LiVPO4F was evaluated as a cathode material for secondary lithium batteries,and exhibited an improved reversibility and cycleability,which may be attributed to the addition of Al^3＋ ion by stabilizing the triclinic structure.

A novel synthetic route for LiFePO_4/C cathode materials by addition of starch for lithium-ion batteries

LiFePO4/Carbon composite cathode material was prepared using starch as carbon source by spray-pelleting and subsequent pyrolysis in N2. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, Raman, and their electrochemical performance was investigated in terms of cycling behavior. There has a special micro-morphology via the process, which is favorable to electrochemical properties. The discharge capacity of the LiFePO4.C composite was 170 mAh g-1, equal to the theoretical specific capacity at 0.1 C rate. At 4 C current density, the specific capacity was about 80 mAh g-1, which can satisfy for transportation applications if having a more flat discharge flat.

Synthesis and characterization of spinel Li_(1.05)Cr_(0.1)Mn_(1.9)O_(4-z)F_z as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Samples with the nominal stoichiometry Li1.05Cr0.1Mn1.9O4-zFz（z=0,0.05,0.1,0.15,and 0.2） were synthesized via the solid-state reaction method and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction（XRD）,scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,galvanostatic charge/discharge, and slow rate cyclic voltammetry（SSCV） techniques.The results show that the pure spinel phase indexed to Fd3m can be obtained when z=0, 0.05,and 0.1.The substitution of F for O with z≤0.1 contributes to the increase of initial capacity compared with Li1.05Cr0.1Mn1.9O4 spinels. However,when the F-dopant content is designed to be 0.15 and 0.2,the Li1.05Cr0.1Mn1.9O4-zFZ samples deliver relatively low capacity and poor cycling properties at 55℃.