ArticleEngineering SciencesThe effect of nitrogen annealing on lithium ion intercalation in nickel-doped lithium trivanadate

The communication reports an exploratory experimental study on the effects of nitrogen annealing on lithium ion intercalation in nickel-doped lithium trivanadate cathodic electrodes for lithium ion batteries. It shows good rate performance with discharge capacities of 348.6, 252.6, 191.9 and 96.7 mAh g−1 at 0.2, 0.5, 1 and 5 C, respectively. Nitrogen annealing resulted in the formation of parasitic secondary-phase LiV2O5 and appreciably increased tetravalent vanadium ions compensated with oxygen vacancies, which would enhance the electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusivity and promote the interface interaction and deintercalation process, and thus lead to the enhanced lithium ion intercalation properties. The possible impacts of the parasitic secondary-phase LiV2O5 on the lithium ion intercalation performance have also been discussed.