High-rate performance of ferroelectric BaTiO₃-coated LiCoO₂ for Li-ion batteries

The high charge–discharge rate characteristics of composite cathodes consisting of ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BT)-coated LiCoO2 (LC), synthesized via a simple sol–gel route, were evaluated, and the rate showed stepwise increases to as high as 5C. The LC–BT composite cathode annealed at 600 °C, LC–BT–600, notably retained high capacities, i.e., 122 mAh/g at 30 cycles, 5C and 99 mAh/g at 60 cycles, 5C. These capacities corresponded to 83% and 67% of the initial values and were as high as 158% and 245% of the capacities of bare LC over the same cycles, respectively. The ferroelectricity of the coated BT contributed to the improvement in high-rate performance.