Electrochemical properties of LiMn2O4 films produced by combustion reaction

Lithium manganese oxide powders were prepared via combustion reaction. Structural characterization of the powder using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the formation of a LiMn₂O₄ nanosized powder. LiMn₂O₄ films were prepared by spin coating using 80 wt% of oxide, 15 wt% of polyaniline (PAni) as an electronic conductor and 5 wt% of polyvinylidene (PVDF) as a binder in N.N.-dimethyl acetamide. A Coulombic efficiency of 96% confirmed the electrochemical stability of the composite. The variation in impedance as a function of the lithium intercalation/deintercalation process reflected the interaction between the oxide and/or polyaniline particles at a high frequency range, and a diffusion tendency was observed at medium and low frequency ranges. The capacity values of the composite electrodes relative to the LiMn₂O₄ mass were 178.6/177.5 and 145/140 mAh g⁻¹ for the first and 25th charge/discharge cycles, respectively.     

Thermal stability and structural deformation of rutile SnO2 nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of rutile SnO₂ were synthesized by precipitation at room temperature. Samples were characterized with X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermoanalysis and nitrogen physisorption by BET method. The rutile crystalline structure was refined by Rietveld method. Crystallites had spherical morphology with crystallite sizes growing with the annealing temperature. The spherical crystallites aggregate to form grains composed of a number of crystallites defining the specific surface area and porosity. The crystallites contained hydroxyls in their structure and on their surface generating considerable amount of tin vacancy sites in the structure. These hydroxyls modify the Sn-O bonds, increase the lattice parameters and produce asymmetry in the representative rutile tin-oxygen octahedron. As the dehydroxylation was done with the annealing temperature, the atomic bond length between the oxygen atoms shared by adjacent octahedra decreased, contracting the lattice and increasing the symmetry.     

Structural, magnetic, and electrochemical studies on lithium insertion materials LiNi1−xCoxO2 with 0≤x≤0.25

The structural, magnetic, and electrochemical properties of the LiNi_1−xCo_xO₂ samples with x= 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.25 have been investigated by powder X-ray diffraction analyses, magnetic susceptibility (χ) measurements, and electrochemical charge and discharge test in non-aqueous lithium cell. According to the structural analyses using a Rietveld method, the occupancy of the Ni ions in the Li layer was estimated to be below 0.01 for all the samples and was eventually independent of x. The temperature (T) dependence of χ⁻¹ obtained with the magnetic field H=10 kOe indicated that all the samples are a Curie-Weiss paramagnet down to . At low T, all the samples entered into a spin-glass-like phase below T_f. The magnitude of T_f was found to decrease almost linearly with x, as in the case for the x dependences of the lattice parameters of a_h- and c_h-axes, Weiss temperature, and effective magnetic moment. It is, therefore, found that the change of the magnetic properties with x is simply explained by a dilution effect due to the increase of the quantity of Co³⁺ ions. On the other hand, the electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the irreversible capacity at the initial cycle is drastically decreased by the small amount of Co ions. Furthermore, the discharge capacity (Q_dis) for the x=0.05 and 0.1 samples are larger than that for the x=0 sample; namely, Q_dis=180 mAh g⁻¹ for x=0, Q_dis=217 mAh g⁻¹ for x=0.05, and Q_dis=206 mAh g⁻¹ for x=0.1. Comparing with the past results, the amount of Ni ions in the Li layer is found to play a significant role for determining the magnetic and electrochemical properties of LiNi_1−xCo_xO₂.     

Microwave assisted hydrothermal synthesis of tin niobates nanosheets with high cycle stability as lithium-ion battery anodes

SnNb₂O₆ and Sn₂Nb₂O₇ nanosheets were synthetized via microwave assisted hydrothermal method, and innovatively employed as anode materials for lithium-ion battery. Compared with Sn₂Nb₂O₇ and the previously reported pure Sn-based anode materials, the SnNb₂O₆ electrode exhibited outstanding cycling performance.     

Preparation and Electrochemical Performance of V2O3-C Dual-Layer Coated LiFePO4 by Carbothermic Reduction of V2O5

The V₂O₃-C dual-layer coated LiFePO₄ cathode materials with excellent rate capability and cycling stability were prepared by carbothermic reduction of V₂O₅. X-ray powder diffraction, elemental analyzer, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectra revealed that the V₂O₃ phase co-existed with carbon in the coating layer of LiFePO₄ particles and the carbon content reduced without graphitization degree changing after the carbothermic reduction of V₂O₅. The electrochemical measurement results indicated that small amounts of V₂O₃ improved rate capability and cycling stability at elevated temperature of LiFePO₄/C cathode materials. The V₂O₃-C dual-layer coated LiFePO₄ composite with 1wt% vanadium oxide delivered an initial specific capacity of 167 mAh/g at 0.2 C and 129 mAh/g at 5 C as well as excellent cycling stability. Even at elevated temperature of 55 oC, the specific capacity of 151 mAh/g was achieved at 1 C without capacity fading after 100 cycles.     

Synthesis of Au/SnO2 core-shell structure nanoparticles by a microwave-assisted method and their optical properties

Au/SnO₂ core-shell structure nanoparticles were synthesized using the microwave hydrothermal method. The optical and morphological properties of these particles were examined and compared with those obtained by the conventional hydrothermal method. In microwave preparation, the peak position of the UV-visible plasmon absorption band of Au nanoparticles was red-shifted from 520 to 543 nm, due to the formation of an SnO₂ shell. An SnO₂ shell formation was complete within 5 min. The thickness of the SnO₂ shell was 10-12 nm, and the primary particle size of SnO₂ crystallites was 3-5 nm. For the core-shell particles prepared by a conventional hydrothermal method, the shell formed over the entire synthesis period and was not as crystalline as those produced, using the microwave method. The relationship between the morphological and spectroscopic properties and the crystallinity of the SnO₂ shell are discussed.     

Synthesis of carbon-coated Li4Ti5O12 and its electrochemical performance as anode material for lithium-ion battery

Carbon-coated Li_4Ti_5O_(12) sample was synthesized by a sol-gel method. The Li_4Ti_5O_(12) powders were obtained by calcinations of the gels at 750, 800, 850,900 ℃ at N_2 atmosphere. The structure, morphology and electrochemical properties of the materials were characterized by SEM, XRD and charge and discharge. The final product sintered at 850 ℃ demonstrates excellent performance with a specific capacity of 163.5 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 1C. Furthermore, the discharge specific capacity of the sample can retain 80 mAh/g at 10C.     

A combined X-ray and neutron Rietveld study of the chemically lithiated electrode materials Li2.7V3O8 and Li4.8V3O8

The lithium insertion in the positive electrode material Li_1+αV₃O₈ (α close to 0.1-0.2) includes a phenomenon near 2.6 V (voltage vs. the Li metal electrode), the mechanism being a two-phase process with the transformation from ca. Li_2.9V₃O₈ to ca. Li₄V₃O₈. Near 2.4 V down to 2 V, Li is inserted in a single phase up to ca. Li₅V₃O₈. Chemical Li insertions have been performed in a Li_1.1V₃O₈ precursor prepared at 350 °C and the structures of the products Li_2.7V₃O₈ (before the 2.6 V phenomenon) and Li_4.8V₃O₈ (near the expected maximum) have been studied by a combined Rietveld refinement of X-ray and neutron diffraction data. The structure of Li_4.8V₃O₈ is an ordered derivative of the rock-salt type, with all the Li and V ions in slightly distorted octahedral sites. Li_2.7V₃O₈ has a poor crystallization state and, although the expected V₃O₈ layers are obtained, only a part of the Li sites have been reliably determined. Between adjacent V₃O₈ layers, several unidentified sites are likely weakly occupied, thus giving a markedly disordered character for the structure of the compound formed just before the transition at 2.6 V. The atomic shifts at the transition are briefly discussed.     

Sensing mechanism of Pd-doped SnO2 sensor for LPG detection

In the present work, studies have been made to analyze the sensitivity, response, recovery time and sensing mechanism of Pd-doped thick film SnO₂ sensor for detection of LPG. To achieve this, thick film Pd-doped (0.25 and 1% by weight in available Indium doped SnO₂ thick film paste supplied by ESL, USA) along with an undoped (Indium doped) SnO₂ sensors were fabricated on a 1″ × 1″ alumina substrate. It consists of a gas sensitive layer (doped SnO₂), a pair of electrodes underneath the gas sensing layer serving as a contact pad for sensor. Also, a heater element on the backside of the substrate was printed for generating appropriate operating temperature at the substrate necessary for acquiring gas sensing properties. The sensor doped with 1% palladium showed the maximum sensitivity of 72% at 350 °C for 0.5% concentration of LPG. Possible detailed sensing mechanism of Pd-doped SnO₂ sensor for LPG detection has been proposed.     

Sub-100 nm hollow SnO2@C nanoparticles as anode material for lithium ion batteries and significantly enhanced cycle performances

Rational designing and controlling of nanostructures is a key factor in realizing appropriate properties required for the high-performance energy fields. In the present study, hollow SnO₂@C nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean size of 50 nm have been synthesized in large-scale via a facile hydrothermal approach. The morphology and composition of as-obtained products were studied by various characterized techniques. As an anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the as-prepared hollow SnO₂@C NPs exhibit significant improvement in cycle performances. The discharge capacity of lithium battery is as high as 370 mAh g^-1, and the current density is 3910 mA g^-1(5 C) after 573 cycles. Furthermore, the capacity recovers up to 1100 mAh g^-1 at the rate performances in which the current density is recovered to 156.4 mA g^-1(0.2 C). Undoubtedly, sub-100 nm SnO₂@C NPs provide significant improvement to the electrochemical performance of LIBs as superior-anode nanomaterials, and this carbon coating strategy can pave the way for developing high-performance LIBs.     

Li4Ti5O12/CMK-3复合材料的制备及其作为锂离子电池负极材料的性能

将LiNO₃和Ti(OC₄H₉)₄填填充在有序介孔碳CMK-3 孔道中, 然后烧结合成了Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/CMK-3复合材料. 利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和X射线衍射(XRD)对其结构和微观形貌进行了表征. 利用差热-热重分析(TG-DTA)测试复合材料中Li₄Ti₅O₁₂的含量. 利用充放电测试、循环伏安和电化学阻抗技术考察了复合材料作为锂离子电池负极材料的性能. 发现Li₄Ti₅O₁₂分布在CMK-3孔道中及其周围, 复合材料的高倍率充放电性能显著优于商品Li₄Ti₅O₁₂, 复合材料中Li₄Ti₅O₁₂的比容量明显高于除去CMK-3的样品(在1C倍率时比容量为117.8 mAh·g^-1), 其0.5C、1C和5C倍率的放电比容量分别为160、143 和131 mAh·g^-1, 库仑效率接近100%, 5C倍率时循环100次的容量损失率只有0.62%. 本研究结果表明CMK-3明显提高了Li₄Ti₅O₁₂的高倍率充放电性能, 可能是CMK-3特殊的孔道结构和良好的导电性减小了Li₄Ti₅O₁₂的粒径并提高了其电导率.     

一维带状SnO2的电子传输性能

采用水辅助化学气相沉积法制备了结晶性好的一维带状SnO₂. 分别以小粒径锡粉和金修饰的小粒径锡粉作为反应原料制得带宽度不同的带状SnO₂, 小粒径锡粉作为反应原料能提高带状SnO₂的产率. 将所得SnO₂带和SnO₂纳米颗粒按不同比例混合配制成胶体, 采用刮涂法制备含不同比例纳米颗粒和纳米带的复合SnO₂薄膜并组装染料敏化太阳能电池(DSSCs)来评价带状SnO₂的电子输运性能. 组装的太阳能电池表现出与复合纳晶薄膜中一维SnO₂带的带宽度和所含比例密切相关的光电性能. 通过强度调制光电流谱的测量确定复合SnO₂薄膜的电子传输速率, 并进一步分析一维材料所具有的良好电子传输性能对光电流增加的贡献. 因为一维SnO₂带在复合纳晶薄膜中作为电子输运的快速通道可以加快电子的输运速度, 所以以适宜的比例添加具有合适宽度的一维SnO₂带可以明显提高太阳能电池的光电性能.     

Crystal structure, phase relations and electrochemical properties of monoclinic Li2MnSiO4

Phase relations in the MnO-SiO₂-Li₄SiO₄ subsystem have been investigated by X-ray diffraction after solid-state reactions in hydrogen at 950-1150 °C. Both cation-deficient and cation-excess solid solutions Li_2+2xMn_1−xSiO₄ (−0.2?x?0.2) based on Li₂MnSiO₄ have been found. According to Rietveld analysis, Li₂MnSiO₄ (monoclinic, P2₁/n, a=6.3368(1), b=10.9146(2), c=5.0730(1) Å, β=90.987(1)°) is isostructural with γ_II-Li₂ZnSiO₄ and low-temperature Li₂MgSiO₄. All components are in tetrahedral environment, (MnSiO₄)²⁻ framework is built of four-, six- and eight-member rings of tetrahedra. Testing Li₂MnSiO₄ in an electrochemical cell showed that only 4% Li could be extracted between 3.5 and 5 V against Li metal. These results are discussed in comparison with those for recently reported orthorhombic layered Li₂MnSiO₄ and other tetrahedral Li₂MXO₄ phases.     

Electrochemical activity of nanocrystalline Fe3O4 in aprotic Li and Na salt electrolytes

Fe₃O₄ powders, whose average particle sizes were 400 nm, 100 nm, and 10 nm in diameter, were prepared in order to investigate the effect of particle size on their electrochemical activity. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy measurements confirmed that all the prepared samples were identified as inverse-spinel type Fe₃O₄, whose crystallite/particle sizes were between 400 nm and 10 nm. We found that the electrochemical activity of Fe₃O₄ in a lithium salt electrolyte was enhanced with a decrease in the particle size from 400 nm to 10 nm. The 10 nm nanocrystalline Fe₃O₄ powder demonstrated the high discharge capacities of about 130 and 160 mAh g⁻¹ with a satisfactory capacity retention as the active cathode material of Li and Na batteries, respectively.     

长循环高电压钠离子电池正极材料P2-Na2/3Mn1/3Bi1/3Ni1/3O2的合成及性能

镍基层状氧化物NaNiO₂钠离子电池材料具有高电压和高容量的特性,且制备方法较为简单,但姜-泰勒(Jahn-Teller)效应使其在高倍率循环下容量较低以及在高电压(4.5 V)下无法稳定循环。通过调节溶胶-凝胶工艺的条件,设计、合成了Na_2/3Mn_1/3Bi_1/3Ni_1/3O₂片层状金属氧化物,并将其作为正极活性材料,在空气环境中组装成钠离子电池,进行电化学测试,考察Bi、Mn掺入量对电池电化学影响。研究结果表明:当金属Mn和Bi共掺时,在1.2~4.5 V宽电压范围内,电池在循环50周后容量为90.39 mAh·g^-1。在2.0~4.0 V电压范围内1.0C (115 mA·g^-1)倍率下恒流充放电50周后的容量保持率为96.96%,循环850周后的保持率为80.15%,具有良好的循环稳定性和安全性。     

长循环高电压钠离子电池正极材料P2-Na2/3Mn1/3Bi1/3Ni1/3O2的合成及性能

镍基层状氧化物NaNiO₂钠离子电池材料具有高电压和高容量的特性,且制备方法较为简单,但姜-泰勒(Jahn-Teller)效应使其在高倍率循环下容量较低以及在高电压(4.5 V)下无法稳定循环。通过调节溶胶-凝胶工艺的条件,设计、合成了Na_2/3Mn_1/3Bi_1/3Ni_1/3O₂片层状金属氧化物,并将其作为正极活性材料,在空气环境中组装成钠离子电池,进行电化学测试,考察Bi、Mn掺入量对电池电化学影响。研究结果表明：当金属Mn和Bi共掺时,在1.2~4.5 V宽电压范围内,电池在循环50周后容量为90.39 mAh·g^-1。在2.0~4.0 V电压范围内1.0C (115 mA·g^-1)倍率下恒流充放电50周后的容量保持率为96.96%,循环850周后的保持率为80.15%,具有良好的循环稳定性和安全性。     

长循环高电压钠离子电池正极材料P2-Na2/3Mn1/3Bi1/3Ni1/3O2的合成及性能

镍基层状氧化物NaNiO₂钠离子电池材料具有高电压和高容量的特性,且制备方法较为简单,但姜-泰勒(Jahn-Teller)效应使其在高倍率循环下容量较低以及在高电压(4.5 V)下无法稳定循环。通过调节溶胶-凝胶工艺的条件,设计、合成了Na_2/3Mn_1/3Bi_1/3Ni_1/3O₂片层状金属氧化物,并将其作为正极活性材料,在空气环境中组装成钠离子电池,进行电化学测试,考察Bi、Mn掺入量对电池电化学影响。研究结果表明：当金属Mn和Bi共掺时,在1.2~4.5 V宽电压范围内,电池在循环50周后容量为90.39 mAh·g^-1。在2.0~4.0 V电压范围内1.0C (115 mA·g^-1)倍率下恒流充放电50周后的容量保持率为96.96%,循环850周后的保持率为80.15%,具有良好的循环稳定性和安全性。     

Fabrication of Nb2O5/C nanocomposites as a high performance anode for lithium ion battery

Nb₂O₅/C nanosheets are successfully prepared through a mixing process and followed by heating treatment.Such Nb₂O₅/C based electrode exhibits high rate performance and remarkable cycling ability, showing a high and stable specific capacity of ~380 mAh g^-1 at the current density of 50 mA g^-1(much higher than the theoretical capacity of Nb₂O₅).Further more,at a current density of 500 mA g^-1,the nanocomposites electrode still exhibits a specific capacity of above 150 mAh g^-1 after 100 cycles.These results suggest the Nb₂O₅/C nanocomposite is a high performance anode material for lithium-ion batteries.     

锌掺杂提高LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2正极材料的电化学稳定性

通过共沉淀法与固相法相结合制备了掺锌的高稳定性Li(Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3)_1-xZn_xO₂ (x=0, 0.02, 0.05)正极材料. 循环伏安(CV)曲线表明Zn掺杂使氧化峰与还原峰的电势差减小到0.09 V, 电化学阻抗谱(EIS)曲线表明Zn掺杂使电极的阻抗从266 Ω减小到102 Ω. Li⁺嵌入扩散系数从1.20×10^-11 cm²·s^-1增大到 2.54×10^-11 cm²·s^-1. Li(Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3)_0.98Zn_0.02O₂正极材料以0.3C充放电在较高的截止电压(4.6 V)下比其他两种材料的电化学循环性能更稳定, 其第二周的放电比容量为176.2 mAh·g^-1, 循环100周后容量几乎没衰减; 高温(55 °C)下充放电循环100周, 其放电比容量平均每周仅衰减0.20%, 远小于其他两种正极材料(LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂平均每周衰减0.54%; Li(Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3)_0.95Zn_0.05O₂平均每周衰减0.38%). Li(Ni_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3)_0.98Zn_0.02O₂正极材料以3C充放电时其放电比容量可达142 mAh·g^-1, 高于其他两种正极材料. 电化学稳定性的提高归因于Zn掺杂后减小了电极的极化和阻抗, 增大了锂离子扩散系数.     

Preparation and photocatalytic activity of ZnO/TiO2/SnO2 mixture

ZnO/TiO₂/SnO₂ mixture was prepared by mixing its component solid oxides ZnO, TiO₂ and SnO₂ in the molar ratio of 4?1?1, followed by calcining the solid mixture at 200-1300 °C. The products and solid-state reaction process during the calcinations were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurement of specific surface area. Neither solid-state reaction nor change of crystal phase composition took place among the ZnO, TiO₂ and SnO₂ powders on the calcinations up to 600 °C. However, formation of the inverse spinel Zn₂TiO₄ and Zn₂SnO₄ was detected at 700-900 and 1100-1200 °C, respectively. Further increase of the calcination temperature enabled the mixture to form a single-phase solid solution Zn₂Ti_0.5Sn_0.5O₄ with an inverse spinel structure in the space group of . The ZnO/TiO₂/SnO₂ mixture was photocatalytically active for the degradation of methyl orange in water; its photocatalytic mass activity was 16.4 times that of SnO₂, 2.0 times that of TiO₂, and 0.92 times that of ZnO after calcination at 500 °C for 2 h. But, the mass activity of the mixture decreased with increasing the calcination temperature at above 700 °C because of the formation of the photoinactive Zn₂TiO₄, Zn₂SnO₄ and Zn₂Ti_0.5Sn_0.5O₄. The sample became completely inert for the photocatalysis after prolonged calcination at 1300 °C (42 h), since all of the active component oxides were reacted to form the solid solution Zn₂Ti_0.5Sn_0.5O₄ with no photocatalytic activity.