The influence of the synthesis route on electrochemical properties of spinel type high-voltage cathode material LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 for lithium ion batteries

The application of high-voltage cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries is of high interest to increase the batteries energy density. The cathode material LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 is a promising candidate, but very different electrochemical results are reported in literature. After all, this differences are highly depending on the specific synthesis route. But, for a final commercialization, a fundamental understanding is lacking, which is needed to optimize the particle morphology for slurry and electrode fabrication on one hand, and regarding the electrochemical properties on the other.In this study, the synthesis of the high-voltage cathode material LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 by spray drying and its successful application in lithium-ion batteries are presented. The focus is on discussing the influence of two different synthesis routes, namely the application of different precursor compositions, on particle morphology and finally on electrochemical properties. It is shown that by using mixed precursors of acetates and nitrates a higher specific capacity is achieved compared to a route using only acetates. The deviating electrochemical behavior is connected with the different Mn3+ content observed in the samples. The relationship between electrochemical properties and particle morphology is consequently discussed.

In the present study, the synthesis of the potential high-voltage cathode material LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 by spray drying and its successful application in lithium-ion batteries are presented. It isshown that by improving the synthesis route, an optimization regarding the electrochemical and morphological properties of the material is achieved. The presentation will focus on discussing the influence of synthesis conditions on material and finally on electrochemical properties. The application of high-voltage cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries is of highinterest to increase their energy density.Nevertheless some challenges have to be overcome for a final commercialization. The cathode material is synthesized by spray drying a solution of different precursor materials and calcination of the material. The synthesized materials are subsequently characterized regarding morphology and crystallographic structure, and the electrochemical properties (capacity, cycle life, etc.) are analyzed using test cells. It is shown that essential material properties like capacity and cycle life stability are highly depending on particle morphology and, therefore, on the synthesis conditions. Accordingly, optimized material properties through improved synthesis conditions are presented.