Effects of ultrasound irradiation on Au nanoparticles deposition on carbon-coated LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 and its performance as a cathode material for Li ion batteries

Yasuyuki Tanaka; Hirokazu Okawa; Takahiro Kato; Katsuyasu Sugawara

doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2021.105879

Effects of ultrasound irradiation on Au nanoparticles deposition on carbon-coated LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ and its performance as a cathode material for Li ion batteries

Ultrason Sonochem. 2022 Jan:82:105879. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2021.105879. Epub 2021 Dec 16.

Authors

Yasuyuki Tanaka¹, Hirokazu Okawa², Takahiro Kato³, Katsuyasu Sugawara⁴

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegatagakuen-machi, Akita, Akita 010-8502, Japan. Electronic address: d8519002@s.akita-u.ac.jp.
² Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegatagakuen-machi, Akita, Akita 010-8502, Japan. Electronic address: okawa@mine.akita-u.ac.jp.
³ Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegatagakuen-machi, Akita, Akita 010-8502, Japan. Electronic address: tkato@gipc.akita-u.ac.jp.
⁴ Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University, 1-1 Tegatagakuen-machi, Akita, Akita 010-8502, Japan. Electronic address: katsu@gipc.akita-u.ac.jp.

Abstract

LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ (LMNO) has attracted considerable attention as a Li-ion battery cathode material, owing to its high discharge voltage of 4.7 V (vs. Li/Li⁺) and high energy density. However, the electronic conductivity of LMNO is low, resulting in a low discharge capacity at high current density. To overcome this limitation, we deposited Au nanoparticles (NPs), which have a high conductivity and chemical stability at high battery voltages, on carbon-coated LMNO (LMNO/C) using ultrasound irradiation. Consequently, Au NPs that are ∼16 nm in size were deposited on LMNO/C, and ultrasound irradiation was reported to disperse the NPs on LMNO/C more effectively than stirring. Furthermore, the deposition of Au NPs on LMNO/C using ultrasound irradiation improved its electronic conductivity, which is related to an increase in the discharge capacity due to the reduction of Ni⁴⁺ to Ni²⁺ in LMNO/C at a high current density.

Keywords: Au nanoparticles; Carbon coating; Li-ion battery; LiNi(0.5)Mn(1.5)O(4); Sonochemical synthesis.