Low-cost, one-step process for synthesis of carbon-coated LiFePO4 cathode

Carbon-coated LiFePO4 cathode materials were synthesized by a one-step solid-state reaction route using inexpensive FePO4 as the iron precursor and polypropylene as both reductive agent and carbon source. The pyrolysis of polypropylene at high temperature reduces Fe3+ to Fe2+ and coats carbon on the synthesized LiFePO4 particles in situ. Electrochemical measurements show that the carbon-coated LiFePO4 reaches an initial discharge capacity of 160 mA h g−1 at 30 °C and 0.1 C rate and a good cycling property at 0.3 and 0.5 C. The results indicate that the one-step solid-state reaction is a promising method suitable for mass production of LiFePO4/C composite with improved electrochemical performances and low cost.