Electrochemical Performance and Delithiation/Lithiation Characteristics of Mixed LiFe 1- y M y PO 4 ( M = Co, Ni) Electrode Materials

Abstract

© The Author(s) 2015. Published by ECS. Solid solutions of LiFe1-yMyPO 4 /C (M = Co, Ni) within the whole substitution range (0 ≤ y ≤ 1) are systematically investigated as safe high-voltage positive electrode materials for Li-ion battery. Especially the similarities and differences between the Co- and Ni-substitution schemes are highlighted. With increasing substitution level y, the orthorhombic unit cell shrinks and the Li + -ion diffusion channel area decreases, more rapidly for the smaller-sized Ni substituent. While the Co 2+ /Co 3+ redox couple shows reversible electrochemical activity, only an initial, partial delithiation is achieved for the Ni + /Ni + couple at all y. However, both substitution schemes similarly affect the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ redox couple by increasing its potential and enhancing the kinetics. Particularly, a mutual influence of Fe and Co/Ni on the delithation/lithiation characteristics is proposed: ex situ XRD analysis shows signs of a phase-composition change in the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ region for higher y, and correspondingly, a changed Co 2+ /Co 3+ redox mechanism for lower y is indicated by cyclic voltammetry. We suggest that this behavior is related to a substitution-induced decrease in the volume change between the lithiated and delithiated phases. For the Co-substitution scheme, a composition around y ≈ 0.5 seems optimal for combining a high energy density and a kinetically beneficial, diffusional single-phase delithiation/lithiation mechanism.