Chemical synthesis and steady state characterization of a nanocrystalline lithium cobalt oxide

Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) is one of the most relevant components in lithium-ion batteries. The array of sought-after features of LiCoO2 depends on its synthesis method. In this work we synthesized and characterized a nanocrystalline LiCoO2 oxide obtained with a wet chemistry synthesis method. The oxide obtained was a homogeneous powder in the nanometric range (5-8 nm) and exhibited a series of improved properties. Characterization by FTIR and UV-Vis techniques led to identifying citrate species as main products in the first step of the synthesis process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations led to identifying a pure crystalline phase of the synthesized LiCoO2 oxide. Steady state electrical characterization and solid-state impedance spectroscopy determined the high conductance of the synthesized oxide. All these features are desirable in the design of cathodes for lithium ion batteries.