Improvement of the rate property of LiMn1.45Ni0.45Cr0.1O4 cathode for Li-ion batteries

• Pure phase Cr-doped LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 materials were successfully synthesized by a solid state impregnation method using MnO2 nanowire templates.
• Significant improved rate capability and excellent stability were obtained with only 6 wt.% of conductive carbon.
• The performance improvement results from the increase of cation disorder as well as elimination of oxygen vacancy and impurity phases.

MnO2 nanowires were used to synthesize the spinel-type LiMn1.45Ni0.45Cr0.1O4 (Cr–LMN) materials by solid-state impregnation. Structural analyses revealed that the final product consisted of sub-micrometric Cr–LMN particles of octahedral shape well-crystallized in the cation-disordered phase. This powder delivered a specific capacity ~ 127 mAh g− 1 up to 2C rate. At 5C rate, the capacity was still 115 mAh g− 1 without significant capacity loss in 25 cycles. The remarkable improvement in electrochemical properties with respect to prior works suggests that the sub-micrometric Cr–LMN prepared by this synthesis process is a promising cathode material for high power and long-cycle lithium-ion batteries.

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