Electrochemical impedance analysis of Li[Li0.1Al0.1Mn1.8]O4 used as lithium-insertion electrodes by the diluted electrode method

Abstract

Electrochemical impedance analysis was performed for Li[Li0.1Al0.1Mn1.8]O4 (LAMO) used as a lithium-insertion electrode by the diluted electrode method to identify the origin of resistance. Utilization of diluted electrodes, in which some portion of active material, LAMO, was systematically replaced with the same amounts of spectator Al2O3 material to maintain the original structure of the LAMO electrode, is a promising method to discriminate between the resistance attributed to the lithium-insertion reaction in LAMO (charge-transfer resistance) and that accompanied by conduction of electron and/or ion in the porous electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectra of the diluted electrodes consisted of two semicircles. The radius of a semicircle in the lower frequency region depends on the LAMO content in a diluted electrode, indicating that the semicircle is associated with charge-transfer resistance. On the other hand, the radius of the other semicircle in the higher frequency region is independent of the LAMO contents, suggesting that the semicircle is mainly related to the resistance accompanied by the porous structure of electrodes. Thus, the structure of lithium-insertion electrode should be carefully considered in designing high-energy and high-power lithium-ion batteries that employ thick electrodes.