Submicron lithium nickel manganese oxide spinel with long cycling stability and high rate performance prepared by a facile route

Lithium nickel manganese oxide (LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O ₄) shows promising applications in next-generation Li-ion batteries due to its high working voltage. In this work, submicron LiNi _0.5Mn_1.5O₄ has been synthesized by a facile solid-phase route and its electrochemical performance has been investigated in both half cells and full cells using mesocarbon microbeads as anodes. In LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄-Li cells, LiNi _0.5Mn_1.5O₄ shows excellent rate performance and high-rate cycling stability. At 20 C, LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O ₄ can yield a discharge capacity of 105.8 mAh g^-1. After 1400 cycles at 1 C, a discharge capacity of around 80 mAh g^-1 can be still delivered. The LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄-limited full cells exhibit a working voltage of around 4.5 V and a discharge capacity of 90.0 mAh g^-1 after 120 cycles at 1 C. The excellent electrochemical performance of LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ can be attributed to a combination of submicron size, durability of Mn³⁺ at high rates and small-size induced protective film.