• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.575-579
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• 2006

Solid electrolyte interface is formed on a carbon electrode used as an anode in Li-ion battery, which can be of $Li^{+}$ intercalation/deintercalation during the first cycle. The passivation film formed by a solvent decomposition during the initial charge process affects cell performance and it was one of the main reason of an initial irreversible capacity. This paper describes the use, for the first time, of $Li_2CO_3$ as the additive for the formation of a passivation film on the carbon surface to suppress the initial irreversible reaction. Chronopotentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the effects of the $Li_{2}CO_{3}$ additive. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction were also used to monitor changes in the surface morphology and composition of the passivation film formed by solvent decomposition and the precipitation of $Li_{2}CO_{3}$. The addition of $Li_{2}CO_{3}$ to a solution of 1 M $LiPF_{6}$/EC:MA (1:3, v/v) resulted in a decrease in the initial irreversible capacity and it was due to the suppression of the solvent decomposition on the electrode surface.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2005

The cathode material, $LiNi_{0.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$, for high voltage applications of Li-ion batteries exhibits impurity phases due to oxygen deficiency during the high temperature heat treatment. The impurity phase reduces the electrochemical properties of the electrode since the deficiency spinel structure disturbs the lithium ion intercalation and deintercalation. In this study, Cr-substituted $LiNi_{0.5-x}Mn_{1.5}Cr_xO_4(0{\leq}x{\leq}0.05)$ powders are synthesized by a sol-gel method in order to reduce the amount of the impurity phases in the $LiNi_{0.5-x}Mn_{1.5}Cr_xO_4$. Thermal analysis of the cathode material shows that the $LiNi_{0.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$ without Cr substitution looses $2\%$ of its weight due to oxygen deficiency but the amount of weight loss is diminished when Cr is substituted. XRD analysis also supports the reduction of the impurity phases in the cathode after chromium substitution, suggesting that the improvement of the electrochemical properties such as the capacity retention and electrochemical stability are attributed to the low content of impurity phases in the Cr-substituted $LiNi_{0.5-x}Mn_{1.5}Cr_xO_4.$