Enhanced cyclability of triple-metal-doped LiMn2O4 spinel as the cathode material for rechargeable lithium batteries

To improve the cycle performance of spinel LiMn₂O₄ as the cathode of 4-V-class lithium secondary batteries, spinel phases LiM _x Mn_2 − x O₄ (M=Li, Fe, Co; x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) and LiFe_0.05M _y Mn_{1.95 − y} O₄ (M=Li, Al, Ni, Co; y = 0.05, 0.1) were successfully prepared using the sol–gel method. The spinel materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. All the samples exhibited a pure cubic spinel structure without any impurities in the XRD patterns. Electrochemical studies were carried out using the Li|LiM _x Mn_2 − x O₄ (M=Li, Fe, Co; x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15) and LiFe_0.05M _y Mn_{1.95 − y} O₄ (M=Li, Al, Ni, Co; y = 0.05, 0.1) cells. These cathodes were more tolerant to repeated lithium extraction and insertion than a standard LiMn₂O₄ spinel electrode in spite of a small reduction in the initial capacity. The improvement in cycling performance is attributed to the stabilization in the spinel structure by the doped metal cations.