Enhanced electrochemical performance of LiCoBO3 cathode material for next generation Lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Spherical shape, nano-LiCoBO3 is synthesized by sol-gel technique. X-ray diffraction results confirm the presence of monoclinic phase with C2/c space group. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy images depict the existence of the spherical shaped particle with an aggregate diameter range of 5–20 nm. Raman measurement indicates the presence of Co O vibrations in CoO5 polyhedra. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the oxidation state of the elements present in the LiCoBO3 material. Galvanostatic charge–discharge studies indicate that the sol-gel derived nano-LiCoBO3 delivers the first charging capacity of 160 mAh g−1 and retaining a discharge capacity of 98 mAh g−1 at the end of 52nd cycle. Formation of spherical shape nanoparticle facilitates electron movement and improves lithium diffusion kinetics, leads to improved electrochemical performance of LiCoBO3 cathode material. An electrochemical study clearly indicates that the sol-gel derived nano-LiCoBO3 has better capacity and cyclic performance compared to previous reports in LiCoBO3.