Morphology-controllable synthesis of LiMn2O4 particles as cathode materials of lithium batteries

We reported a new method for the preparation of morphology-controllable LiMn2O4 particles. In this method, dimension-different MnO2 nanowires synthesized hydrothermally by adjusting the reaction temperature were used as the precursor. The morphology and structure of the resulting products were characterized with scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction, and the performances of the prepared LiMn2O4 samples as cathode material of lithium batteries were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge test. The results indicate that the morphology of LiMn2O4 transforms from tridimensional particle (TP) to unidimensional rod (UR) through quadrate lamina (QL) with increasing the diameter and length of MnO2 nanowires. Although the cyclic stabilities of LiMn2O4-TP, LiMn2O4-QL, and LiMn2O4-UR are very close (the 0.1 C capacity after 50 cycles is 101, 93, and 99 mAh g(-1) at 25 A degrees C, and 84, 78, and 82 mAh g(-1) at 50 A degrees C, respectively), LiMn2O4-QL delivers much higher rate capacity (about 70 mAh g(-1) at 5 C and 30 mAh g(-1) at 10 C) than LiMn2O4-TP and LiMn2O4-UR (about 20 mAh g(-1) at 5 C, 3 mAh g(-1) at 10 C, 25 mAh g(-1) at 5 C, and 3 mAh g(-1) at 10 C).