Fabrication of LiFePO4/carbon composites by glass powder crystallization processing and their battery performance

The glass powder crystallization processing is proposed to fabricate LiFePO4/carbon composites, in which the mixture of glass (33.3Li(2)O-33.3Fe(2)O(3)-33.3P(2)O(5)) powders and glucose or graphite was heat-treated at 560 similar to 800 degrees C in a nitrogen atmosphere. It is confirmed from an X-ray diffraction analysis and Raman scattering spectrum measurements that the glass crystallization is taking place together with the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ and LiFePO4/carbon composites showing electrical conductivities of similar to 10(-3)Scm(-1) are formed. The LiFePO4 glass-ceramics shows the voltage of 3.5 V and capacity of similar to 95 mAh/g. It is proposed that this new simple process has a potential for the fabrication of LiFePO4/carbon composites. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.