Major headway was achieved in electrode materials of lithium-ion batteries, a joint study conducted by Professor Zhang Weixin from School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, and Professor Yang Shihe from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

The research group proposed a soft chemical synthesis method, successfully preparing a series of micro- and nanostructured electrode materials with even distribution. The result, entitled “A General and Mild Approach to Controllable Preparation of Manganese-Based Micro- and Nanostructured Bars for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries” was published on a top-level journal on chemistry -- Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Figure 1. One-dimensional (1D) micro- and nanostructured Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 manganese-based Lithium-rich Cathode Materials: (a) precursor FESUM image, (b) FESEM image of the products, (c-h) related characteristics of the products

Figure 2. FESEM images of other 1D micro- and nanostructured electrode materials: (a, b) precursor and product of Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2; (c,d) precursor and product of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2; (e,f) precursor and product of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4

The next-generation lithium-ion batteries, with great demand in electric vehicles and grid power storage, are required to possess high energy and power densities. The research group incorporated the advantages of 1D micro- and nanostructured materials with the application demand of lithium-ion batteries for high energy and power densities, and made an in-depth research on coprecipitation of multi-element metal ions into nuclear power, and successfully prepared a list of micro- and nanostructured Li-rich, trivalent manganese-based electrode materials with even distribution.

The method is simple and easy to operate. The solvent used in reactions can be recycled, thus being environmentally friendly and easy for industrial scale-up. The study was funded by National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for its scientific significance and broad application prospects.

Written by & Photo Credit: Ding Junxiang

Edited by: Wang Jian