Self-assembly of highly uniform LiFePO4 hierarchical nanostructures by surfactant molecules in a new mixture medium

In this work, the LiFePO4 samples are synthesized in ethylene glycol/water (EG/W) and aqueous solution, respectively. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption isotherms. The results show that the reaction medium and the surfactant molecules have the significant influences on the particle morphology. In the presence of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium, the highly uniform LiFePO4 hierarchical nanostructures are obtained in EG/W, which consist of the nanoplates. Nevertheless, the irregular LiFePO4 microparticles are obtained in aqueous solution. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the samples are mainly investigated. The hierarchical LiFePO4 sample exhibits a higher rate capability and an improved cyclability than the aggregated irregular microparticles, which have been ascribed to the highly uniform hierarchical nanostructures.