Synthesis of Layered LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2 Oxides for Lithium-Ion Batteries using Biomass-Derived Glycerol as Solvent

In an attempt to exploit biomass-derived glycerol as a solvent, a sol-gel method was used to synthesize LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2 (LMNC) layered oxide cathode materials for Li-ion batteries. The effects of particle size and structure of the layered oxide materials at different annealing temperatures have been studied. The chemical compositions, cation ordering, and particle morphology were obtained by various advanced techniques. Electrochemical performance of the layered oxides was analyzed by cycling testing, cyclic voltammograms, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A comparison of four LMNC samples in this study shows that LMNC annealed at 900 degrees C exhibits the most promising electrochemical properties. In particular, an initial discharge capacity of 177.1 mAhg(-1) has been achieved, with a retention of the discharge capacity of more than 83.7% after 100cycles. Furthermore, the sample shows good rate capability up to 5C, making it well qualified for lithium-ion battery applications. This study demonstrated the possibility of using glycerol, a byproduct in biodiesel production, as a solvent instead of water in the sol-gel method to synthesize layered structure cathode materials.