Enhancement in thermal stability and surface properties of LiFePO4/VFLG composite prepared via sol-gel route

Amun Amri, Yola Bertilsya Hendri, Sunarno, Yoyok Dwi Setyo Pambudi, Mazhibayev Assylzhan, Elmira A. Kambarova, Khusnul Ain, Khairulazhar Jumbri, Zhong‐Tao Jiang, Chun‐Chen Yang

Communications in Science and Technology, 2025

Full text Open access: Gold Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.21924/cst.10.1.2025.1667
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

Thermal and surface properties of LiFePO4/very-few-layer graphene (LiFePO4/VFLG) composite manufactured through the sol-gel route have been researched for lithium-ion battery cathode application. VFLG was acquired from a facile, cost-effective, and environmentally benign fluid dynamic shear exfoliation process. The composites were characterized through thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) interlinked with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Braneur-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The TGA-DSC results showed that the integration of VFLG could enhance the thermal stability of the composite by inhibiting oxygen diffusion on the LiFePO4 surface. FESEM-EDX analysis, meanwhile, confirmed the homogeneously distributed VFLG in the composites. TEM results revealed that the average particle sizes of the composites decreased by about 21.2% compared to the bare LiFePO4. TEM and HRTEM results confirmed an intimate contact between VFLG intimately and LiFePO4 particles via plane-to-point contact, contributing to the control and reduction of particle size. Furthermore, physisorption via BET analysis revealed that incorporating VFLG provided a wider distribution of mesopores and increased pore diameter and pore volume by 128.7% and 656.3%, respectively, compared to sole LiFePO4. These significant improvements were related to the flexibility and ability of a thin layer of VFLG to limit the growth of LiFePO4 particles. This approach offers a promising strategy to enhance the thermal stability and surface properties of lithium-ion battery cathodes.