Effect of titanium substitution in layered LiNiO2 cathode material prepared by molten-salt synthesis

LiNi1−xTixO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) compounds have been synthesized by a direct molten-salt method that uses a eutectic mixture of LiNO3 and LiOH salts. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, these materials have a well-developed layered structure (R3-m) and are an isostructure of LiNiO2. The LiNi1−xTixO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) compounds have average particle sizes of 1–5 μm depending on the amount of Ti salt. Charge–discharge tests show that a LiNi1−xTixO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) cathode prepared at 700 °C has an initial discharge capacity as high as 171 mA h g−1 and excellent capacity retention in the range 4.3–2.8 V at a current density of 0.2 mA cm−2.