Electrochemical behavior of Co3O4 microspheres in aqueous LiOH solution

Abstract

Co3O4 microspheres were synthesized in mass production by a simple hydrothermal treatment using trisodium citrate as a template. The pristine, discharged and recharged specimens were characterized by XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The electrochemical behavior was studied by CV curves of Co3O4 at various scan rates in LiOH solution. Co3O4 particles underwent a reversible insertion of Li+ and H+ ions from LiOH solution. A linear relationship between the peak currents and the square root of scan rates for the redox peak pairs were determined, indicating a diffusion-controlled process of the Li+ deintercalation/intercalation in Co3O4 particles. The diffusion coefficients (DLi+) in anodic and cathodic processes are 2.15 × 10−10 and 9.1 × 10−12 cm2/s, respectively.