Li0.68Ni1.32O2/Ag nanocomposite: A Li-intercalation anode material with higher coulombic efficiency and better cycling performance

NiO, Li0.68Ni1.32O2 and Li0.68Ni1.32O2/Ag composite as anodes for Li-ion batteries are reported. Li0.68Ni1.32O2 decomposed to Ni and Li2O when discharged to 0.02 V, according to XRD analysis, which was similar to NiO. Increased initial coulombic efficiency was obtained for the Li0.68Ni1.32O2 electrode (73%), higher than that of NiO (64.9%), but its cycling performance became worse because poorer conductive Li2O formed when the first discharge process was finished. However, the Li0.68Ni1.32O2/Ag electrode exhibited better cycling performance than NiO and Li0.68Ni1.32O2, because the Ag nanoparticles in the composite improved the conductivity of the electrode. The initial coulombic efficiency for Li0.68Ni1.32O2/Ag is still as high as 72%, nearly the same as that of Li0.68Ni1.32O2.