Preparation of long cycle lifespan spinel LiMn2O4 cathode material by a dual-modified strategy

Spinel LiMn2O4 has been identified as a cathode material with extensive application potential for Li-ion batteries. However, during cycling, the Jahn−Teller effect and Mn dissolution have a substantial impact on its specific capacity and cycle span. Herein, combining Fe and Cr elements co-doping with single crystal truncated octahedron morphology is proposed to solve these problems. The Fe−Cr co-doping markedly restrains the Jahn−Teller effect, and promotes the development of crystal and selective growth of crystal surfaces in spinel LiMn2O4. The high exposure (111) surfaces of the truncated octahedron reduce the dissolution of Mn, and a tiny proportion of (110) and (100) surfaces increase the diffusion channels of Li+. HAADF-STEM characterization indicates that the Fe and Cr elements largely replace the Mn atoms at the octahedral 16d site. Because of these advantages, the optimal LiFe0.05Cr0.08Mn1.95-xO4 (LFCMO-8) delivers excellent electrochemical performance with 119.6 mAh·g−1 discharge capacity and 78.1% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1 C. At comparatively higher current densities of 20 C and 30 C, the superior capacity retention ratios of 79.8% and 87.3% are still achieved after 2000 cycles. Even at 40 C, the LFCMO-8 sample can still reach 98.8% capacity retention rate after 2000 cycles. After 1000 cycles at 5 C, the LFCMO-8 sample still maintained a capacity retention of 45.4% at high temperature (55 °C). ICP-OES test combined with a V-shaped tube device indicates that the Mn dissolution of LCFMO-8 only accounted for 11.8% of LiFe0.05Mn1.95O4 (LFMO). This study serves as a meaningful reference for the preparation of high-performance LiMn2O4 cathode materials.