Introducing an Efficient and Eco-Friendly Spray-Drying Process for the Synthesis of NCM Precursor for Lithium-ion Batteries

Abstract

<p>Ni-rich cathode is one of the promising candidates for high-energy lithium-ion battery applications. Due to its specific capacity, easy industrialization, and good circulation ability, Ni-rich cathode materials have been widely used for lithium-ion batteries. However, due to the limitation of the co-precipitation method, including sewage pollution, and the instability of the long production cycles, developing a new efficient and environmentally friendly synthetic approach is critical. In this study, the Ni<sub>0.91</sub>Co<sub>0.06</sub>Mn<sub>0.03</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> precursor powder was successfully synthesized by an efficient spray-drying method using carbonate compounds as a raw material. This Ni<sub>0.91</sub>Co<sub>0.06</sub>Mn<sub>0.03</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> precursor was calcined by mixing with LiOH·H<sub>2</sub>O (5 wt% excess) at 480°C for 5 hours and then sintered at two different temperatures (780°C/800°C) for 15 hours under an oxygen atmosphere to complete the cathode active material preparation, which is a key component of lithium-ion batteries. As a result, LiNi<sub>0.91</sub>Co<sub>0.06</sub>Mn<sub>0.03</sub>O<sub>2</sub> cathode active material powders were obtained successfully via a simple sintering process on the Ni<sub>0.91</sub>Co<sub>0.06</sub>Mn<sub>0.03</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> precursor powder. Furthermore, the obtained LiNi<sub>0.91</sub>Co<sub>0.06</sub>Mn<sub>0.03</sub>O<sub>2</sub> cathode active material powders were characterized. Overall, the material sintered at 780°C shows superior electrochemical performance by delivering a discharge capacity of 190.76mAh/g at 1<sup>st</sup> cycle (0.1 C) and excellent capacity retention of 66.80% even after 50 cycles.</p>