Surfactant-Assisted Synthesis of High Energy {010} Facets Beneficial to Li-Ion Transport Kinetics with Layered LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2

Abstract

High energy {010} facets are favorable for Li+ transport in a layered Ni-rich LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode through two-dimensional channels that are perpendicular to the c axis. However, those planes can hardly be maintained during the synthesis of layered cathodes. Therefore, we provide a strategy to use appropriate surface active agents which can alter the surface free energy by reducing surface tension directly. Here, a novel self-assembled 3D flower-like hierarchical LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 is formed with the help of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and those high energy facets are preserved. Due to the unique surface architectures which would lead to the fast ion transport kinetics as current expands to 100 times (from 0.1 to 10 C), the capacity decay only about 23.4%. Furthermore, full cells assembled against Li4Ti5O12 are constructed with a capacity retention of 80.61% at 1 C charge/discharge. This study could show a promising material model for the preferred orientation active planes and higher Li+ transp...