Morphology-Controlled One-Step Synthesis of Nanostructured LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 Electrodes for Li-Ion Batteries

Nanostructured electrodes effectively enhance the kinetics of the charge/discharge process in lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, the fabrication of these electrodes often involves complex processing steps. This study demonstrates a one-step improved flame spray pyrolysis synthesis approach to directly deposit the most common Li-ion battery cathode material LiNi_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3O₂ onto current collectors, which is identified as reactive spray deposition technology (RSDT). Because of the economical and continuous nature of RSDT, the industrial scale of manufacturing nanostructured electrodes for Li-ion batteries can be potentially developed. Morphologies of the electrodes are well controlled so that their electrochemical properties can be tailored to accommodate intended applications. In detail, by adjusting the precursor concentration in the solution feed during the operation of RSDT, the specific surface area of synthesized material can be fine-tuned accordingly. Although the electrodes prepared with low precursor concentration exhibit the highest surface area and deliver the highest initial discharge capacity of 192.1 mAh g^-1, the most stable cycling performance is demonstrated by the electrodes fabricated with high precursor concentration, retaining 93.6% of the initial capacity after 100 cycles in half-cell testing. This innovative direct deposition method considerably simplifies the manufacture process of high-performance nanostructured electrodes and enables effortless modification of their properties. Moreover, no hazardous waste is generated from this synthesis route.