Enhanced cycle ability of spinel LiMn2O4 by controlling the phase purity and structural strain

By applying the annealing step during the solid-state synthesis, well-crystallized spinel LiMn2O4 with high phase purity was fabricated. The sensitive effect of heating procedure on the structural and electrochemical properties of LiMn2O4 product was investigated. It was found that preheat-treatment-calcinations-annealing process can effectively eliminate the impurity phase. The post-annealing process also leads to a better crystalline and suitable strain for the LiMn2O4 product, which contributes to the enhanced cycling performance.

Highilights► An optimized heat treatment strategy was used to synthesize spinel LiMn2O4. ► Post annealing process eliminate impurity and adjust the structural strain. ► Annealing process can significantly enhance the electrochemical properties of LiMn2O4.