High-Performance Amorphous Carbon Coated LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 Cathode Material with Improved Capacity Retention for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Coating conducting polymers onto active cathode materials has been proven to mitigate issues at high current densities stemming from the limited conducting abilities of the metal-oxides. In the present study, a carbon coating was applied onto nickel-rich NMC622 via polymerisation of furfuryl alcohol, followed by calcination, for the first time. The formation of a uniform amorphous carbon layer was observed with scanning- and transmission-electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stability of the coated active material was confirmed and the electrochemical behaviour as well as the cycling stability was evaluated. The impact of the heat treatment on the electrochemical performance was studied systematically and was shown to improve cycling and high current performance alike. In-depth investigations of polymer coated samples show that the improved performance can be correlated with the calcination temperatures. In particular, a heat treatment at 400 degrees C leads to enhanced reversibility and capacity retention even after 400 cycles. At 10C, the discharge capacity for carbon coated NMC increases by nearly 50% compared to uncoated samples. This study clearly shows for the first time the synergetic effects of a furfuryl polymer coating and subsequent calcination leading to improved electrochemical performance of nickel-rich NMC622.

Automated summary

Coating conducting polymers onto active cathode materials has been shown to improve electrochemical performance and cycling stability, particularly in nickel-rich NMC622. The impact of heat treatment on the performance was studied systematically, with a heat treatment at 400 degrees C leading to enhanced reversibility and capacity retention, resulting in nearly 50% increase in discharge capacity for carbon coated NMC at 10C compared to uncoated samples. This study highlights the synergistic effects of a furfuryl polymer coating and subsequent calcination on improving the electrochemical performance of nickel-rich NMC622.