An electrochemical impedance spectroscopic study of the electronic and ionic transport properties of LiCoO2 cathode

Abstract

The storage behavior and process of the first delithiation-lithiation of LiCoO2 cathode were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electronic and ionic transport properties of LiCoO2 cathode along with variation of electrode potential were obtained in 1 mol·L−1 LiPF6-EC:DMC: DEC electrolyte solution. It was found that after 9 h storage of the LiCoO2 cathode in electrolyte solutions, a new arc appears in the medium frequency range in Nyquist plots of EIS, which increases with increasing the storage time. In the charge/discharge processes, the diameter of the new arc is reversibly changed with electrode potential. Such variation coincides well with the electrode potential dependence of electronic conductivity of the LiCoO2. Thus this new EIS feature is attributed to the change of electronic conductivity of Li x CoO2 during storage of the LiCoO2 cathode in electrolyte solutions, as well as in processes of intercalation-deintercalationtion of lithium ions. It has been revealed that the reversible increase and decrease of the resistance of SEI film in charge-discharge processes can be also ascribed to the variation of electronic conductance of active materials of the LiCoO2 cathode