Microwave synthesis and electrochemical properties of lithium manganese borate as cathode for lithium ion batteries

Nano structured LiMnBO3/C cathode materials are synthesized by a fast microwave solid-state reaction method using MnCO3, Li2CO3, H3BO3 and glucose as starting materials for the first time. The crystal structure, morphology and electrochemical properties of LiMnBO3/C composites are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), raman spectroscopy (Ramon), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and charge-discharge tests. The result shows that not only monoclinic LiMnBO3/C but also hexagonal LiMnBO3/C cathode materials can be successfully synthesized by microwave solid-state method with power of 240 W in different time. Compared with h-LiMnBO3/C and mixed phase LiMnBO3/C, m-LiMnBO3/C displays lower charge-transfer resistance and the Warburg impedance, so it reveals a higher first discharge capacity of 156.3 mAh g−1 at 0.05 C within 1.8V-4.6 V, The value increases up to 173.2 mAh g−1 caused by the activation process. Even after 50 cycles, the discharge capacity of m-LiMnBO3/C still remains at 148.2 mAh g−1.