Microscopically porous, interconnected single crystal LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 cathode material for Lithium ion batteries

A porous cathode material consisting of interconnected single crystal LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM) nanoparticles has been synthesized for lithium ion batteries. Trace nitric acid is used as pH value adjuster to form honeycomb-shaped foam, and a novel stepwise crystallization process is employed to obtain NCM particles. The modified sol-gel process followed by an optimized crystallization process results in significant improvements in chemical and physical characteristics of the NCM particles. They consist of a fully-developed single crystal NCM with uniform composition and a porous NCM architecture with a reduced degree of fusion and a large specific surface area. These structural modifications in turn significantly enhance the electrochemical properties of the NCM cathode material, in terms of improved charge/discharge capacity, cyclic stability and rate capability.