Preparation and characterization of fluorine-substituted LiFeBO3 with carbon coating to enhance electrochemical performance and stability as a cathode material for Li-ion batteries

Abstract

The fluorine-substituted LiFeBO3 with carbon coating (LFeBF/C) has been successfully demonstrated via a solid-state reaction to enhance its electrochemical properties and stability in air. Transmission electron microscopy characterization reveals that the primary LFeBF particles are fully covered by a thin layer of amorphous carbon. The formation of vonsenite-type LFeBF/C and the distribution of Li ions into its octahedral sites due to the fluorine substitution are confirmed using X-ray diffraction and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, respectively. The stability of the LFeBF/C in air is promoted by the carbon layer. After two months of open-air storage, no significant changes in X-ray diffraction patterns can be observed. The synergistic effects of fluorine substitution and carbon coating enhance the overall electrochemical performance of the LFeBF/C as achieving a superior initial discharge capacity of 367.0 mAh g−1 at the rate of 0.05C and 231.7 mAh g−1 at 1.0C. In addition, the cyclic stability of the LFeBF/C is improved, reaching 197.5 mAh g−1 at the rate of 1.0C after 50 cycles, which corresponds to a retention of 85% of its initial capacity.