Rechargeable Lithium Battery Cathodes. Nonaqueous Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical Properties of LiCoO2

• Published in: Chemistry of materials 1998-08, Vol.10 (8), p.2270-2276
• Main Authors: Boyle, Timothy J, Ingersoll, David, Alam, Todd M, Tafoya, Cory J, Rodriguez, Mark A, Vanheusden, Karel, Doughty, Daniel H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Exact sciences and technology
• ISSN: 0897-4756; 1520-5002
• DOI: 10.1021/cm9802088

A nonaqueous coprecipitation process has been developed to prepare controlled stoichiometry lithium cobalt oxide precipitates. The process involved mixing a methanolic “LiCo(NO3)3” solution with a methanolic solution containing tetramethylammonium oxalate as a precipitating agent. The resulting oxalates were readily converted to phase-pure lithium cobalt oxide at 800 °C under an oxygen atmosphere. The various starting solutions, oxalate precipitates, and the resulting oxides have been extensively characterized using a variety of techniques, including multinuclear NMR, TGA/DTA, EPR, and XRD analyses. Results indicate that the strong interaction between the metals (Li and Co) that occurred in solution was maintained during precipitation. The calcined precipitate revealed that the desired LiCoO2 phase was formed at 800 °C under an O2 atmosphere. When electrochemically cycled, the material exhibited an initial capacity of ∼133 (mA h)/g with a fade of 0.02% in capacity per cycle.