Effects of cathode fabrication conditions and cycling on the electrochemical performance of LiNiO2 synthesized by combustion and calcination

Abstract LiNiO 2 was synthesized by the combustion method with various excess lithium amount z in Li 1 + z NiO 2 ( z = 0.04, 0.08, 0.10, 0.12, and 0.15). The sample with z = 0.10 has the largest first discharge capacity of 195 mAh/g at 0.1 C rate and voltage range 2.7–4.4 V with the weight ratio of active material:acetylene black:binder = 85:10:5. The LiNiO 2 cathodes, in which the excess lithium amount z for the synthesis of LiNiO 2 was 0.10, were fabricated with various weight ratios of active material:acetylene black:binder (85:10:5, 85:12:3, and 90:7:3). The cathode with the ratio of active material:acetylene black:binder 85:10:5 has the best electrochemical properties. The variation, with C-rate, of discharge capacity vs. number of cycles curve for the LiNiO 2 cathode with the weight ratio of active material:acetylene black:binder = 85:10:5 was investigated. At 0.1 C rate, the LiNiO 2 cathode has the largest first discharge capacity, the discharge capacity degradation rate of 0.70 mAh/g/cycle and a discharge capacity at n = 50 of 134 mAh/g.