Fabrication and electrochemical properties of CuCrO2 anode obtained by a sol–gel method

Abstract

Delafossite-type CuCrO2 is prepared by a citric acid-assisted sol–gel method and used as anode material for lithium ion batteries. Electrochemical results demonstrate that CuCrO2 has a good reversibility for lithium storage. As anode material, the initial charge capacity of CuCrO2 is 157.6mAhg−1. After 17 cycles, a maximum reversible charge capacity of 346.4mAhg−1 can be observed for CuCrO2 anode, and then the charge capacity shows a gradual decrease upon further cycles. It indicates that an electrochemical activation process takes place in the initial several charge/discharge cycles. With an investigation by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, it is found that the gradual decrease of charge transfer resistance and the gradual increase of lithium ion diffusion coefficient may induce the initial electrochemical activation process of CuCrO2 anode.