A synergetic modification approach toward high capacity Ni-rich cathode materials for next generation lithium-ion batteries

High discharge capacity and low cost of Ni-rich cathode materials make them an ideal candidate for energy storage applications. Here, we report a novel synergetic approach to modify the LiNi0.91Co0.06Mn0.03O2 cathode active material by Li+ conductive Li3BO3 coating and B3+ doping. The crystal structure of synthesized materials is analyzed by XRD and the surface by XPS, FESEM and FETEM. In rate performance test, Li+ conductive coating on modified NCM (LBO-0.05) conduces a superior discharge capacity of 88.6 mAh g−1 at 5C while pristine delivers only 45.8 mAh g−1. LBO-0.05 NCM exhibited the highest initial columbic efficiency (92%) and discharge capacity (215.3 mAh g−1) than the pristine sample (90.7%, 212.6 mAh g−1). At 2C cycling, LBO-0.05 demonstrates improved capacity retention of 79.4% as compared to pristine which shows only 67.3% after 100 cycles. The enhanced electrochemical performance of modified NCM is attributed to multifunctional Li3BO3 coating and B3+ doping.