Analysis of the growth mechanism of hierarchical structure Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1(OH)2 agglomerates as precursors of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 in the presence of aqueous ammonia

Hierarchical structure Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1(OH)2 agglomerates were formed by coprecipitation method in the presence of aqueous ammonia in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The resultant spherical secondary particles are comprised of highly anisotropic primary grains as building blocks, which retain a distinct hexagonal flake morphology with six {0 1 0} equivalent crystal facets and two other {0 0 1} facets. The formation of hierarchical agglomerates typically undergoes three steps: (i) the formation of grain nuclei (homogeneous nucleation), (ii) anisotropic growth of grains and formation of hexagonal nanosheets, (iii) agglomeration of single crystal grains and formation and growth of spherical agglomerates. This unique hierarchical structures of Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1(OH)2 point to its promising applications in preparation of high-performance cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.