Developing a High‐Performing Spinel LiMn<sub>2</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Cathode Material with Unique Morphology, Fast Cycling and Scaled Manufacture
Urbi Pal, Binayak Roy, Meisam Hasanpoor, Hamid Ilbeygi, Tiago Mendes, Robert Kerr, Lakshmi Vazhapully, Chris Song, Da-Bin Wang, Matt Boot‐Handford, Mark G. Sceats, Maria Forsyth, Danah Al‐Masri, Patrick C. Howlett
Abstract
Abstract High power application of Li‐battery remains a challenge due to the lack of stable fast‐charging cathode materials. Lithium manganese oxide (LMO) cathode is very promising due to its high operating voltage and fast charging ability; however, the associated Mn‐dissolution is one of the main hindrances to its practical applicability. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the use of a commercially scalable method through a proprietary Calix flash calcination (CFC) technology to develop high‐performance electrode materials where a novel CXL LMO material was manufactured and tested. CXL LMO|Li metal cell showed a reversible specific capacity of 110 mAh/g with 99 % retention after 100 cycles and showed excellent rate performance up to 20 C current rate (~20 mA/cm 2 current density). CXL LMO|Graphite cell (areal capacity 1 mAh/cm 2 ) was also reported with 86 % capacity retention over more than 500 cycles. Cross‐section morphology revealed a unique multi‐layered structure that was retained at the core of the novel LMO material. It obtained lesser Mn dissolution compared to commercial LMO. The scalable synthesis procedure through CFC technology, can be broadly applicable to produce unique electrode morphology as demonstrated here for the CXL LMO representing a promising pathway for electrode manufacturing for high‐power Li‐batteries.