Cold Sintered LiMn2O4 for High-Rate Capability Electrodes

Journal of The Electrochemical Society, vol. 169, pp. 020556

Abstract

This study provides for the first time a detailed investigation of the cold sintering of LiMn2O4 (LMO). Aqueous based cold sintering aid facilitated densification of LMO at lower temperature range of 400 °C to 600 °C within a dwell time of merely 1 min to the relative density of 70%–80%, without any non—stoichiometry or the need of post annealing in air atmosphere. Connected porosity was observed in the cold sintered structure as confirmed by Mercury porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Cold sintered and dry milled LMO delivered a specific discharge capacity of 121 mAh g−1 for the first discharge cycle at 0.1 C with an appreciably low capacity drop to 107 mAh g−1 at 15 C. In contrast, LMO powder, without any cold sintering treatment, provided merely 84 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C as initial discharge capacity and only 6 mAh g−1 at 2 C. This difference was interpreted as the removal/thinning of insulating Li2CO3 layer from the LMO particles after being cold sintered as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis and Raman spectroscopy.

Authors 5

1. Khushnuda Nur corresponding Aachen Institute of Mineral Engineering (GHI)

   University of Engineering and Technology Lahore · Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, 54890 Lahore, Pakistan

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1), 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Institute of Mineral Engineering, 52064 Aachen, Germany

2. Christoph Roitzheim

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · University of Duisburg-Essen

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Engineering and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), Universität Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg, Germany

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1), 52425 Jülich, Germany

3. Martin Finsterbusch

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1), 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, JARA-Energy, 52425 Jülich, Germany

4. Martin Bram

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Ruhr University Bochum

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1), 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Institut für Werkstoffe, 44801 Bochum, Germany

5. Olivier Guillon Aachen Institute of Mineral Engineering (GHI)

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Materials Synthesis and Processing (IEK-1), 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Jülich Aachen Research Alliance, JARA-Energy, 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Institute of Mineral Engineering, 52064 Aachen, Germany