A delithiated LiNi0.65Co0.25Mn0.10O2 electrode material: A structural, magnetic and electrochemical study

A crystalline LiNi0.65Co0.25Mn0.10O2 electrode material was synthesized by the combustion method at 900 °C for 1 h. Rietveld refinement shows less than 3% of Li/Ni disorder in the structure. Lithium extraction involves only the Ni2+/Ni4+ redox couple while Co3+ and Mn4+ remain electrochemically inactive. No structural transition was detected during cycling in the whole composition range 0 < x < 1.0. Furthermore, the hexagonal cell volume changes by only 3% when all lithium was removed indicating a good mechanical stability of the studied compound. LiNi0.65Co0.25Mn0.10O2 has a discharge capacity of 150 mAh/g in the voltage range 2.5–4.5 V, but the best electrochemical performance was obtained with an upper cut-off potential of 4.3 V. Magnetic measurements reveal competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions – varying in strength as a function of lithium content – yielding a low temperature magnetically frustrated state. The evolution of the magnetic properties with lithium content confirms the preferential oxidation of Ni ions compared to Co3+ and Mn4+ during the delithiation process.