Polypyrrole/Al2O3/LiMn2O4 cathode for enhanced storage of Li ions

LiMn2O4 (LMO) is a promising cathode material for the assembly of lithium ion batteries in that it satisfies the requirement for a high specific capacity, but it lacks structural stability during long-term cycling. To overcome this challenge, Al2O3 and PPy are coated onto LiMn2O4 (PPy/Al2O3/LMO) using a sol-gel method followed by oxidative chemical polymerization. The discharge capacity of PPy/Al2O3/LMO reaches 121.73 mAh g(-1) at a rate of 1C. The retention is as high as 95.81% even after 100 charge/discharge cycles. The enhanced performance of PPy/Al2O3/LMO for Li ion storage results from improved electron conductivity, a more rapid ion migration rate, and reduced Mn ion dissolution. This strategy could be further utilized for the synthesis of other cathode materials for use in lithium ion batteries.

Automated summary

Coating LiMn2O4 with Al2O3 and PPy using a sol-gel method improves electron conductivity, ion migration rate, and reduces Mn ion dissolution, resulting in enhanced Li ion storage performance of PPy/Al2O3/LMO. This strategy could be applied to synthesize other cathode materials for lithium ion batteries.