One-pot synthesis and electrochemical reactivity of carbon coated LiFePO4 spindles

Spindle-like carbon coated LiFePO4 (LiFePO4/C) composites have been successfully synthesized via a novel one-pot supercritical methanol method. The products were characterized by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The particle size, morphology and electrochemical reactivity changed with the concentration of lithium and carbon source. A possible morphology evolution process was also proposed. The glucose not only facilitates the formation of single crystalline LiFePO4, but also gives an amorphous carbon layer on the surface LiFePO4 spindles.