High-performance porous spherical cathode materials based on CaCO₃-template synthesis of LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ for lithium-ion batteries

The porous spherical LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂ has been synthesized using CaCO₃-template and a conventional solid-state reaction. The physical and electrochemical properties of the materials are examined by many characterizations including XRD, SEM, EDS, BET, CV, EIS, and galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling. The results indicate that the as-synthesized materials prepared by this new method own a well-ordered layered α-NaFeO₂ structure (space group: R-3m (166)). And massively porous channels could be observed in the spherical LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂. Compared with the firm-surface spherical LiNi_1/3Co_1/3Mn_1/3O₂, the porous spherical material exhibits larger specific surface area and superior electrochemical performances. It delivers a higher initial capacity of 164.0 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 C (1 C = 180 mA g⁻¹) between 2.7 and 4.3 V, and 93.5 mAh g⁻¹ is still respectively reached at 20 C. After 100 charge–discharge cycles at 1 C in the range of 2.7–4.3 V, the capacity retention is 95.1 %, indicating excellent cycling stability.