Effect of Titanium Doping on Structure and Morphology of LiNi_0.3Mn_0.3Co_0.3Al_0.1O₂ Cathode Materials

Abstract

Lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide, LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NMC 333) become a promising cathode material and attracted much attention to replace the LiCoO2. The structure, particle size, and morphology are some of the factors that influence the performance of the NMC 333 materials were study in this work. The synthesis method of doped NMC 333 materials was done via combustion method and citric acid was used as a fuel. The final products of LiNi0.3Mn0.3Co0.3Al0.1O2 and LiNi0.3Mn0.3Co0.3Al0.05Ti0.05O2 were denoted as 333A and 333AT, respectively. Based on the XRD results, all materials showed a pure, single phase and isostructural with hexagonal α-NaFeO2. 333AT material show good cation ordering with RIR value of 1.25. It also shows the higher (003) peak intensity and smaller full widths at half maximum (FWHM) indicate this material has higher structural crystallinity and smaller crystallite size than 333A. Meanwhile, FESEM results revealed that all materials have morphology of polyhedral like shape and well-crystallized particles with smooth surfaces. Both materials clearly made up of micro-sized particles with the range particle size from 103 nm to 975 nm. 333A material display slightly larger crystallite size compared to the 333AT material. As a conclusion, doping technique will effect the structural and the morphology of materials.