Synthesis and Electrochemical Studies of Spinel Phase LiMn2 O 4 Cathode Materials Prepared by the Pechini Process

‐based spinels are of great interest as positive electrode materials for lithium‐ion batteries. We describe here what is believed to be the first synthesis of these materials using the Pechini process, a low temperature synthetic method that often yields inorganic oxides of excellent phase purity and well‐controlled stoichiometry. Using this process, it has been possible to synthesize phase‐pure crystalline spinel by calcining the appropriate polymeric precursors in air at 250°C for several hours. The influence of different firing temperatures and the effect of substituting a small amount of Mn with Ni have also been explored. Electrochemical studies show that the Pechini‐synthesized materials appear to offer not only high quality performance but also significant analytical advantages which allow us to understand the structural mechanism of Li intercalation.