Comprehensive Enhancement of Nanostructured Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials via Conformal Graphene Dispersion

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 2539 - 2546
• Main Authors: Chen, Kan-Sheng, Xu, Rui, Luu, Norman S, Secor, Ethan B, Hamamoto, Koichi, Li, Qianqian, Kim, Soo, Sangwan, Vinod K, Balla, Itamar, Guiney, Linda M, Seo, Jung-Woo T, Yu, Xiankai, Liu, Weiwei, Wu, Jinsong, Wolverton, Chris, Dravid, Vinayak P, Barnett, Scott A, Lu, Jun, Amine, Khalil, Hersam, Mark C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 12.04.2017
• Subjects: energy storage (including batteries and capacitors), charge transport, materials and chemistry by design, synthesis (novel materials); high packing density; spinel; nanoparticle; Lithium manganese oxide; low temperature; high rate capability
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b00274

Efficient energy storage systems based on lithium-ion batteries represent a critical technology across many sectors including consumer electronics, electrified transportation, and a smart grid accommodating intermittent renewable energy sources. Nanostructured electrode materials present compelling opportunities for high-performance lithium-ion batteries, but inherent problems related to the high surface area to volume ratios at the nanometer-scale have impeded their adoption for commercial applications. Here, we demonstrate a materials and processing platform that realizes high-performance nanostructured lithium manganese oxide (nano-LMO) spinel cathodes with conformal graphene coatings as a conductive additive. The resulting nanostructured composite cathodes concurrently resolve multiple problems that have plagued nanoparticle-based lithium-ion battery electrodes including low packing density, high additive content, and poor cycling stability. Moreover, this strategy enhances the intrinsic advantages of nano-LMO, resulting in extraordinary rate capability and low temperature performance. With 75% capacity retention at a 20C cycling rate at room temperature and nearly full capacity retention at −20 °C, this work advances lithium-ion battery technology into unprecedented regimes of operation.