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Engendering High Energy Density LiFePO4 Electrodes with Morphological and Compositional Tuning
Aleksei V Kubarkov1, Alexander V Babkin1, Oleg A Drozhzhin1
1Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-3, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 10, 2023
Summary
High-energy-density lithium-ion battery cathodes were developed using lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and carbon nanotubes. Optimized electrodes with a carbon-coated current collector achieved high packing density and excellent rate capability for electric vehicles.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Improving energy density in lithium-ion batteries is crucial for electric vehicles and grid storage.
- Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) is a promising cathode material, but its performance is limited by particle morphology and conductivity.
- Enhancing electrode architecture is key to unlocking higher battery performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop high-energy-density cathodes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries using LiFePO4 and single-walled carbon nanotubes.
- To investigate the impact of LiFePO4 particle morphology on electrochemical performance.
- To optimize electrode composition and current collector interface for improved energy and power density.
Main Methods:
- Combined LiFePO4 active material with single-walled carbon nanotubes as conductive additive.
- Investigated the effect of spherical vs. plate-shaped LiFePO4 particle morphology.
- Utilized a carbon-coated current collector to improve interfacial contact.
- Optimized weight percentages of carbon nanotubes and polyvinylidene fluoride binder.
- Formulated thick, free-standing electrodes.
Main Results:
- Spherical LiFePO4 microparticles showed lower rate capability than plate-shaped nanoparticles due to poor current collector contact.
- A carbon-coated current collector enabled high electrode packing density (1.8 g cm⁻³) and excellent rate capability (100 mAh g⁻¹ at 10C).
- Optimized electrodes with 0.25 wt.% carbon nanotubes and 1.75 wt.% binder exhibited superior electrical conductivity, rate capability, adhesion, and cyclic stability.
- Achieved an areal capacity of 5.9 mAh cm⁻² at 1C rate with thick, free-standing electrodes.
Conclusions:
- Particle morphology significantly impacts LiFePO4 cathode performance, with plate-shaped nanoparticles offering advantages.
- Carbon-coated current collectors are effective in enhancing interfacial contact and enabling high-performance electrodes.
- Optimized electrode formulations with specific carbon nanotube and binder ratios are critical for achieving high energy and power densities.
- The developed LiFePO4-based cathodes show significant potential for advanced lithium-ion battery applications.
