Surface fluorination of the cathode active materials for lithium secondary battery

LiMn₂O₄ was treated with F₂ at room temperature (RT), 373 and 473 K under 1.3, 6.6 and 13.2 kPa-F₂. XPS data indicate that two kinds of fluorine species may exist on the sample surface and the ratio of these fluorines is affected by choosing the reaction condition. The peak indicating Mnⁿ⁺ bonded to fluorine appeared in the XPS spectra of Mn2p3/2 electron. From the results of the charge/discharge measurements, the efficiency of charge/discharge process for the sample fluorinated under 1.3, 6.6 and 13.2 kPa-F₂ below 373 K was larger than that of untreated one. The discharge capacity of the fluorinated sample was also larger than that of untreated one. The discharge capacity, the loss of discharge capacity during 50 charge/discharge cycles, F/O ratio measured from XPS data and the intensity of the peak indicating Mnⁿ⁺ bonded to fluorine in the XPS spectra were closely related to each other. The optimal fluorination condition was under 1.3 kPa-F₂ at RT for 1 h.     

锂离子电池负极材料铜锌锡硫纳米颗粒的制备及其电化学性能

以金属氯化物为金属源,硫脲为硫源,聚乙二醇和乙二醇为混合溶剂,采用溶剂热法一步合成了球形的铜锌锡硫纳米颗粒.利用X射线衍射仪(XRD),扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)分析了铜锌锡硫纳米颗粒的物相、结构、形貌;利用电池测试系统对以铜锌锡硫纳米颗粒为锂离子电池负极材料组装的锂离子电池的电化学性能进行了测试.结果表明:所得到的产物为具有锌黄锡矿结构的纯相铜锌锡硫,颗粒直径在300～500nm.铜锌锡硫纳米颗粒作为锂离子电池的负极材料具有较好的稳定性,有望在锂离子电池研究和应用中得到推广.     

Effect of surface fluorination and conductive additives on the electrochemical behavior of lithium titanate (Li4/3Ti5/3O4) for lithium ion battery

Effect of surface fluorination and conductive additives on the charge/discharge behavior of lithium titanate (Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄) has been investigated using F₂ gas and vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF). Surface fluorination of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ was made using F₂ gas (3 × 10⁴ Pa) at 25-150 °C for 2 min. Charge capacities of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ samples fluorinated at 70 °C and 100 °C were larger than those for original sample at high current densities of 300 and 600 mA/g. Optimum fluorination temperatures of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ were 70 °C and 100 °C. Fibrous VGCF with a large surface area (17.7 m²/g) increased the utilization of available capacity of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ probably because it provided the better electrical contact than acetylene black (AB) between Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ particles and nickel current collector.     

Excess capacity on compound phases of Li2FeTiO4 composite cathode materials synthesized by hydrothermal reaction using optional titanium sources to boost battery performance

Li₂FeTiO₄ composites have been produced using commercial LiAC, FeCl₂ and different titanium sources by hydrothermal synthesis (HS) at 175 ℃ and subsequent annealing at 700 ℃. Impure phase TiO₂, Fe₂O₃ and FeTiO₄ were detected out among the Li₂FeTiO₄ composites with different titanium sources. Micron and nano-sized particles of Li₂FeTiO₄ were prepared from various titanium raw materials, with nano-sized particles predominating when titanium raw materials were layered hydrogen titanate nanowire (H₂Ti₃O₇NW, HTO-NW) and titanium oxide nanotubes (TiO₂NB). The Li₂FeTiO₄ composites synthesized by HTO-NW shows a primary particle size of 50-200 nm of high crystallinity staggered with undissolved nanowire with a diameter size of about 100 nm. The samples using one-dimensional nanometer titanium oxide (TiO₂ NB) as the raw material can get a super high initial discharge capacity of 367.8 mAh/g at the rate of C/10 and excellent cycling stability. The selection of raw materials and adopting multi-phase modification can be considered as an effective strategy to improve the electro-chemical properties of Li₂FeTiO₄ composite cathode materials for the lithium secondary battery.     

A DFT study of lithium battery materials: application to the β-VOXO4 systems (X=P, As, S)

VOXO₄ systems have been considered as potential lithium battery electrodes. They mainly present two distinct structural types: the tetragonal “α” type with a two-dimensional framework, and the three-dimensional orthorhombic “β”. DFT calculations were performed on this latter system for several β-Li_xVOXO₄ compounds (x=0, 1; X=P, As, S). They allowed to propose structural models for VOAsO₄ and LiVOSO₄, not fully crystallographically well described yet. Based on an experimental model of two-phase processes, these calculations led also to a good simulation of electrochemical potential values. A density of states analysis put in evidence the “inductive effect” and the role played by (XO₄)ⁿ⁻ groups inside the host frameworks on these potentials.     

Capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection for the quantification of fluoride in lithium ion battery electrolytes and in ionic liquids—A comparison to the results gained with a fluoride ion‐selective electrode

In this study, an optimized method using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with a direct contactless conductivity detector (C⁴D) for a new application field is presented for the quantification of fluoride in common used lithium ion battery (LIB) electrolyte using LiPF₆ in organic carbonate solvents and in ionic liquids (ILs) after contacted to Li metal. The method development for finding the right buffer and the suitable CE conditions for the quantification of fluoride was investigated. The results of the concentration of fluoride in different LIB electrolyte samples were compared to the results from the ion‐selective electrode (ISE). The relative standard deviations (RSDs) and recovery rates for fluoride were obtained with a very high accuracy in both methods. The results of the fluoride concentration in the LIB electrolytes were in very good agreement for both methods. In addition, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were determined for the CE method. The CE method has been applied also for the quantification of fluoride in ILs. In the fresh IL sample, the concentration of fluoride was under the LOD. Another sample of the IL mixed with Li metal has been investigated as well. It was possible to quantify the fluoride concentration in this sample.     

A simple and effective strategy to synthesize Al2O3-coated LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathode materials for lithium ion battery

A facile method has been developed to synthesize Al₂O₃-coated LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂ cathode materials. The sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX). Electrochemical tests show that the cycling stability of LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂ at room temperature is effectively improved by Al₂O₃ coating. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and high temperature (60 °C) cycling tests indicate that Al₂O₃ coating can also improve the thermal stability of LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂, which is attributed to that the coating layer can protect the LiNi_0.8Co_0.2O₂ particles from reacting with the electrolyte.     

Mild and efficient method for the cleavage of benzylidene acetals using HClO4-SiO2 and direct conversion of acetals to acetates

HClO₄-SiO₂ has been used successfully for the deprotection of benzylidene acetals and the direct conversion of benzylidene acetals to the corresponding di-O-acetates. The reactions are very fast and yields are excellent.