Mechanical alloy coating of LATP decorated porous carbon on LiFe_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3PO4/C composite cathode for high-voltage Li-ion battery

Mixed ionic (Li_1.4Al_0.4Ti_1.6(PO₄)₃; LATP) and electronic (porous carbon; C) conductor based composite coating is demonstrated on LiFe_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3PO₄/C olivine-type (LFMCP) composite cathode materials, for the first time, by dry particle coating method using novel mechanofusion treatment. The LFMCP cathode material is prepared through one-time (LFMCP#1) and two-time (LFMCP#2) ball-mill plus spray dry method by adding transition metal precursors with citric acid and sucrose as reducing agent and carbon source. Later, the LFMCP#2 sample is dry coated with 2 wt.% LATP@C composite filler to enhance the electrochemical performance. The initial charge-discharge result reveals the discharge capacity of the LFMCP#2-LATP@C is around 151.87 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1C rate which is comparatively higher than the LFMCP#1 and LFMCP#2 electrodes. Besides, LFMCP#2-LATP@C/Li cell achieved superior capacity retention value around 92.20%, after 30 cycles at 0.1C/0.1C and 81.01% for 100 cycles at 1C/1C rate. The excellent cycle stability is archived due to the improved interface properties between the LATP@C coated LFMCP materials and electrolytes. AC impedance analysis confirms the lower charge transfer resistance and higher Li⁺ ion diffusion properties of LFMCP#2-LATP@C materials. The results suggested that the dry particle coating of LiFe_1/3Mn_1/3Co_1/3PO₄ material with LATP@C coating layer can used as a potential candidate for the high voltage lithium battery.