• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.266-270
• /
• 2003

The $LiN_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ has shown outstanding electrochemical properties. The microstructure of $LiN_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ cathode was investigated by using TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and X-ray diffraction techniques. The $LiN_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_2$ was produced by sol-gel method to synthesize fine particles less than $1{\mu}m$ in the average diameter. In this study, emphasis was given to the examination and interpretation of the microstructural change during charge-discharge cycling experiments, which appeared to be one of the main causes of early degradation of rechargeable batteries. Results showed that the $1{\mu}m$ cathode produced by sol-gel method had high reversible capacity and excellent cycling stability due to its homogeneous distribution of Ni and Co cations on u atomic scale. In particular, the $1{\mu}m$ cathode did not show severe strain induced structural defects or cubic spinel disordering during cycling experiments, which had been observed in the conventional $LiCoO_2$ cathode. The $LiNi_{0.8}Co_{0.2-x}M_x[M=Al]$ compounds show good reversibility but low discharge capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.292-297
• /
• 2005

$LiMO_{2}(M=Co,Ni)$ samples were synthesized with $Li_{2}CO_{3},\;Co_{3}O_{4}$, and NiO by the solid-state reaction method. In the case of $LiCoO_{2}$, at low temperature$(T=400^{\circ}C)$ spinel structure was synthesized and the obtained spinel phase was transformed to layered phase at high temperature$(T\ge600^{\circ}C)$. The phase transition behaviors of $LiCoO_{2}$ were investigated with various heating temperature and time. The rate of transition was directly proportional to the concentrations of reactant, and activation energy of reaction was around 6.76 kcal/mol. When CoO(rock salt structure) was used as a starting material instead of $Co_{3}O_{4}$(spinel structure), layered structure of $LiCoO_{2}$ was obtained at low temperature. In the case of $LiNiO_{2}$ the transition from layered structure to rock salt structure occurred easily by disordering/ordering reaction, but did not occur in $LiCoO_{2}$. The difference in metal ion radii in $LiCoO_{2}$ and $LiNiO_{2}$ results in different behaviors of phase transitions.