Electrochemical properties and synthesis of LiAl0.05Mn1.95O3.95F0.05 by a solution-based gel method for lithium secondary battery

The cathode materials, LiMn₂O₄, LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O₄ and LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O_3.95F_0.05 were firstly prepared by a simple solution-based gel method using the mixture of acetate and ethanol as the chelating agent. The synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscope and differential and thermal analysis. The as-prepared powders were used as positive materials for lithium-ion battery, whose discharge capacity and cycle voltammogram properties were examined. The results revealed that LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O_3.95F_0.05 synthesized by the solution-based gel method had higher initial capacity than LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O₄ and better capacity retention rate (92%) than that of LiAl_0.05Mn_1.95O₄ and LiMn₂O₄, which revealed that Al and F dual-doped LiMn₂O₄ could gain better electrochemical properties of LiMn₂O₄ than only the Al-doped LiMn₂O₄.