A*STAR, IREQ silicate nanoboxes as high-performance cathodes for Li-ion batteries
25 February 2015
Researchers from Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) of A*STAR and Québec’s IREQ (Hydro-Québec’s research institute) have synthesized silicate-based nanoboxes that could more than double the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries as compared to conventional phosphate-based cathodes. A paper on their work is published in the journal Nano Energy.
IBN researchers have successfully achieved simultaneous control of the phase purity and nanostructure of Li2MnSiO4 for the first time. This novel synthetic approach would allow us to move closer to attaining the ultrahigh theoretical capacity of silicate-based cathodes for battery applications.Professor Jackie Y. Ying, IBN Executive Director and corresponding author
The researchers synthesized the Li2MnSiO4@C porous nanoboxes via a wet-chemistry associated solid-state reaction method. The material features a hollow nanostructure with a well-crystalline porous shell composed of phase-pure Li2MnSiO4 nanocrystals, which has not been reported previously.
Nanocomposite of Li2MnSiO4@C and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets demonstrated excellent performance as high-capacity cathode materials for Li-ion batteries.
The five-year research collaboration between IBN and Hydro-Québec was established in 2011. The researchers plan to further enhance their new cathode materials to create high-capacity lithium-ion batteries for commercialization.
Resources
Xian-Feng Yang, Jin-Hua Yang, Karim Zaghib, Michel L. Trudeau, Jackie Y. Ying (2015) “Synthesis of phase-pure Li2MnSiO4@C porous nanoboxes for high-capacity Li-ion battery cathodes,” Nano Energy, Volume 12, Pages 305-313, doi: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2014.12.021
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