Sol-gel prepared nanostructured LiMPO4 (M = Ag, Cu and Al) cathode materials: synthesis, magnetic and electrochemical properties for lithium-ion batteries application
摘要
This study uses the sol-gel technique for the synthesis of the lithium compounds LiMPO₄, where M = Ag, Cu, and Al, as a cathode for the aqueous rechargeable Li-ion battery. A heat treatment at 700 °C was applied to the samples for one hour. LiAgPO₄, LiCuPO₄ and LiAlPO₄ had average crystalline sizes of 13.44 nm, 14.96 nm and 17.06 nm, respectively, using Debye-Scherrer. Utilising X-ray diffraction (XRD), the structural properties of these samples were investigated. VSM was employed to determine the magnetic properties of the samples. The results showed that the olivine materials (LiAgPO₄ and LiAlPO₄) were formed in an orthorhombic structure crystalline shape, while LiCuPO₄ was formed in a cubic shape. It has been demonstrated in field emission microscopic images that olivine cathode nanoparticles agglomerate because of their magnetic properties and the binding of parent particles held by surface interaction. The cyclic voltammogram of LiAgPO₄ exhibits a characteristic redox reaction peak at around 0.61 V against Li/Li⁺ and LiCuPO4 at ~ 0.96 V vs. Li/Li⁺, while LiAlPO₄ is at ~ 0.99 V vs. Li/Li⁺ but weakly. The improved electrochemical performance increases primarily as the grain size decreases.