Lithium storage kinetics of highly conductive F-doped SnO2 interfacial layer on lithium manganese oxide surface

Abstract

Interfacial engineering of LiMn2O4 (LMO) is a promising candidate strategy to improve lithium storage performance of the cathode electrode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, although the use of interfacial engineering strategy showed a positive effect increasing cycling stability at the slow charge process due to the relaxed destruction of the LMO structure, there are unsatisfactory ultrafast lithium storage performances, which results from the extremely limited electrochemical kinetics. Therefore, in the present study, we newly developed a conductive F-doped SnO2 (FTO) interfacial layer to implement superb lithium storage kinetics of LMO. As a results, there provide attractive functionalities in terms of efficient electron and Li+ diffusion, relaxed Mn dissolution and volume expansion at LMO, as well as an improved electrical conductivity at the electrode, resulting in the outstanding lithium storage performance (specific capacity of 76.6 mAh g−1 with the capacity retention of 82.2% at 10 C), a superb cycling capability (the specific capacity of 114.9 mAh g−1 and the capacity retention of 97.1% at 1 C), which is surpassing the results of previous studies. Therefore, this novel conductive FTO interfacial layer can be used as an effective route to improve ultrafast lithium storage kinetics of the LMO material in LIBs.