Studies of Nickel-Rich LiNi0.85Co0.10Mn0.05O2 Cathode Materials Doped with Molybdenum Ions for Lithium-Ion Batteries

• Published in: Materials 2021-04, Vol.14 (8), p.2070
• Main Authors: Susai, Francis Amalraj, Kovacheva, Daniela, Kravchuk, Tatyana, Kauffmann, Yaron, Maiti, Sandipan, Chakraborty, Arup, Kunnikuruvan, Sooraj, Talianker, Michael, Sclar, Hadar, Fleger, Yafit, Markovsky, Boris, Aurbach, Doron
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonium molybdate; Analytical chemistry; Charge materials; Electric vehicles; Electrochemical analysis; Electrode materials; Electrodes; Grain boundaries; Lithium; Lithium-ion batteries; Molybdenum; Nickel; Rechargeable batteries
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma14082070

In this work, we continued our systematic investigations on synthesis, structural studies, and electrochemical behavior of Ni-rich materials Li[NixCoyMnz]O2 (x + y + z = 1; x ≥ 0.8) for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). We focused, herein, on LiNi0.85Co0.10Mn0.05O2 (NCM85) and demonstrated that doping this material with high-charge cation Mo6+ (1 at. %, by a minor nickel substitution) results in substantially stable cycling performance, increased rate capability, lowering of the voltage hysteresis, and impedance in Li-cells with EC-EMC/LiPF6 solutions. Incorporation of Mo-dopant into the NCM85 structure was carried out by in-situ approach, upon the synthesis using ammonium molybdate as the precursor. From X-ray diffraction studies and based on our previous investigation of Mo-doped NCM523 and Ni-rich NCM811 materials, it was revealed that Mo6+ preferably substitutes Ni residing either in 3a or 3b sites. We correlated the improved behavior of the doped NCM85 electrode materials in Li-cells with a partial Mo segregation at the surface and at the grain boundaries, a tendency established previously in our lab for the other members of the Li[NixCoyMnz]O2 family.