Electrochemical performance of solid sphere spinel LiMn2O4 with high tap density synthesized by porous spherical Mn3O4

•We First synthesize spherical MnOOH, which can change to porous spherical Mn3O4.•The porous Mn3O4 structure is favorable to the synthesis of solid spherical LiMn2O4.•The obtained sphere LiMn2O4 has large particles and a high tap density.•The Solid sphere LiMn2O4 exhibits excellent cycling performance and rate capability.

Solid sphere spinel LiMn2O4 materials are synthesized from porous spherical Mn3O4 particles with LiOH·H2O via a high temperature solid-phase reaction. Porous spherical Mn3O4 particles, composed of aggregated crystallites, can be obtained from as-prepared spherical β-MnOOH. The solid sphere spinel LiMn2O4 particles have a high tap-density of 2.67 g·cm−3 and are well-distributed with sizes ranging from 7-9 μm. The as-prepared β-MnOOH, Mn3O4 and LiMn2O4 are characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. As cathode materials, solid sphere spinel LiMn2O4, exhibits excellent cycling performance and rate capability for lithium-ion batteries. The initial discharge capacities are 127.1, 118.1, 106.3 and 87 mAh·g−1 at 0.2, 1, 5 and 10 C, respectively. At 5 C the discharge capacity retention rate can be maintained at 95% after 200 cycles. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirm the excellent electrochemical performances of the synthesized solid sphere spinel LiMn2O4 materials.

Graphical abstractThe as-prepared solid sphere spinel LiMn2O4 particles have a high tap-density of 2.67 g·cm(3, and exhibit excellent cycling performance and rate capability.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide