Synthesis and properties of Li₂MnSiO₄/C cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

Abstract

Carbon was coated on the surface of Li₂MnSiO₄ to improve the electrochemical performance as cathode materials, which were synthesized by the solution method followed by heat treatment at 700 °C and the solid-state method followed by heat treatment at 950 °C. It is shown that the cycling performance is greatly enhanced by carbon coating, compared with the pristine Li₂MnSiO₄ cathode obtained by the solution method. The initial discharge capacity of Li₂MnSiO₄/C nanocomposite is 280.9 mAh/g at 0.05 C with the carbon content of 33.3 wt%. The reasons for the improved electrochemical performance are smaller grain size and higher electronic conductivity due to the carbon coating. The Li₂MnSiO₄/C cathode material obtained by the solid-state method exhibits poor cycling performance, the initial discharge capacity is less than 25 mAh/g.

Keywords

Li-ion batteries / cathode / Li₂MnSiO₄ / carbon coating

References

[1] Li Y X, Gong Z L, Yang Y. Synthesis and Characterization of Li₂MnSiO₄/C Nanocomposite Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries[J]. J. Power Sources, 2007, 174: 528-532.

[2] Nytén A, Kamali S H m L, et al. The Lithium Extraction/Insertion Mechanism in Li₂FeSiO₄[J]. J. Mater. Chem., 2006, 16(23): 2266-2272.

[3] Dominko R, Bele M, Gaberšcek M, et al. Structure and Electrochemical Performance of Li₂MnSiO₄ and Li2FeSiO4 as Potential Li-Battery Cathode Materials[J]. Electrochem. Commun., 2006, 8(2): 217-222.

[4] Nytén A, Abouimrane A, Armand M, et al. Electrochemical Performance of Li2FeSiO4 as a New Li-Battery Cathode Material[J]. Electrochem. Commun., 2005, 7(2): 156-160.

[5] Dominko R, Bele M, Kokalj A, et al. Li₂MnSiO₄ as a Potential Li-Battery Cathode Material[J]. J. Power Sources, 2007, 174(2): 457-461.

[6] Deng C, Zhang S, Fu B L, et al. Characterization of Li₂MnSiO₄ and Li2FeSiO4 Cathode Materials Synthesized via a Citric Acid Assisted Sol-Gel Method[J]. Mater. Chem. Phys., 2010, 120: 14-17.

[7] Islam M S, Dominko R, Masquelier C, et al. Silicate Cathodes for Lithium Batteries: Alternatives to Phosphates?[J]. J. Mater. Chem., 2011, 21: 9811-9818.

[8] Belharouak I, Abouimrane A, Amine K. Structural and Electrochemical Characterization of Li₂MnSiO₄ Cathode Material[J]. J. Phy. Chem. C., 2009, 113: 20733-20737.

[9] Dominko R. Li2MSiO4 (M=Fe and/or Mn) Cathode Materials[J]. J. Power Sources, 2008, 184(2): 462-468.

[10] Rangappa D, Murukanahally K D, Tomai T, et al. Ultrathin Nanosheets of Li2MSiO4 (M = Fe, Mn) as High-Capacity Li-Ion Battery Electrode[J]. Nano Letters, 2012, 12(3): 1146-1151.

[11] Kempaiah D M, Rangappa D, Honma I. Controlled Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Li₂MnSiO₄ Particles for High Capacity Cathode Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries[J]. Chem. Commun., 2012, 48(21): 2698-2700.

[12] Liu S K, Xu J, Li D Z, et al. High Capacity Li₂MnSiO₄/C Nanocomposite Prepared by Sol–Gel Method for Lithium-Ion Batteries[J]. J. Power Sources, 2013, 232: 258-263.

[13] Liu J, Xu H Y, Jiang X L, et al. Facile Solid-State Synthesis of Li₂MnSiO₄/C Nanocomposite as a Superior Cathode with a Long Cycle Life[J]. J. Power Sources, 2013, 231: 39-43.

[14] Moriya M, Miyahara M, Hokazono M, et al. Synthesis of Hybrid Li₂MnSiO₄ Nanoparticles with Carbon for Cathode Materials with Stable Charge/Discharge Cycles[J]. J. Electrochem. Soc., 2014, 161(1): A97-A101.

[15] Sun D, Wang H, Ding P, et al. In-Situ Synthesis of Carbon Coated Li₂MnSiO₄ Nanoparticles with High Rate Performance[J]. J. Power Sources, 2013, 242: 865-871.

[16] Bhaskar A, Deepa M, Rao T N, et al. In Situ Carbon Coated Li₂MnSiO₄/ C Composites as Cathodes for Enhanced Performance Li-Ion Batteries[J]. J. Electrochem. Soc., 2012, 159(12): A1954-A1960.

[17] Swietoslawski M, Molenda M, Zaitz M M, et al. C/Li₂MnSiO₄ as a Composite Cathode Material for Li-Ion Batteries[J]. ECS Transactions, 2012, 41(41): 129-137.

[18] Zhao Y, Wu C, Li J, et al. Long Cycling Life of Li₂MnSiO₄ Lithium Battery Cathodes under the Double Protection from Carbon Coating and Graphene Network[J]. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2013, 1(12): 3856-3859.

[19] Zhang S, Li Y, Xu G, et al. High-Capacity Li2Mn0.8Fe0.2SiO4/Carbon Composite Nanofiber Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries[J]. J. Power Sources, 2012, 213: 10-15.

[20] Swietoslawski M, Molenda M, Furczon K, et al. Nanocomposite C/Li₂MnSiO₄ Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries[J]. J. Power Sources, 2013, 244: 510-514.

[21] Gummow R J, Sharma N, Peterson V K, et al. Synthesis, Structure, and Electrochemical Performance of Magnesium-Substituted Lithium Manganese Orthosilicate Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries[J]. J. Power Sources, 2012, 197: 231-237.