Room temperature large-scale synthesis of layered frameworks as low-cost 4 V cathode materials for lithium ion batteries.

A Shahul Hameed, M V Reddy, M Nagarathinam, Tomče Runčevski, Robert E Dinnebier, Stefan Adams, B V R Chowdari, Jagadese J Vittal

Index: Sci. Rep. 5 , 16270, (2015)

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Abstract

Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are considered as the best available technology to push forward the production of eco-friendly electric vehicles (EVs) and for the efficient utilization of renewable energy sources. Transformation from conventional vehicles to EVs are hindered by the high upfront price of the EVs and are mainly due to the high cost of LIBs. Hence, cost reduction of LIBs is one of the major strategies to bring forth the EVs to compete in the market with their gasoline counterparts. In our attempt to produce cheaper high-performance cathode materials for LIBs, an rGO/MOPOF (reduced graphene oxide/Metal-Organic Phosphate Open Framework) nanocomposite with ~4 V of operation has been developed by a cost effective room temperature synthesis that eliminates any expensive post-synthetic treatments at high temperature under Ar/Ar-H2. Firstly, an hydrated nanocomposite, rGO/K2[(VO)2(HPO4)2(C2O4)]·4.5H2O has been prepared by simple magnetic stirring at room temperature which releases water to form the anhydrous cathode material while drying at 90 °C during routine electrode fabrication procedure. The pristine MOPOF material undergoes highly reversible lithium storage, however with capacity fading. Enhanced lithium cycling has been witnessed with rGO/MOPOF nanocomposite which exhibits minimal capacity fading thanks to increased electronic conductivity and enhanced Li diffusivity.