Surfactant effects on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of emulsion-derived lithium cobalt oxide powders

The surfactant effects on the microstructure and electrochemical properties of lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) powders prepared from emulsion-derived precursors have been investigated in this study. The single-phase LiCoO2 powders with R3̄m structure are successfully prepared. The crystallinity and particle size of the obtained powders are varied with the amount of the surfactant used for preparing the emulsion solution. Reducing the amount of the surfactant results in improving the crystallinity and slightly decreasing the particle size of LiCoO2 powders. The LiCoO2 powders prepared from the emulsion with a small amount of the surfactant added exhibit high discharge capacity and high coulomb efficiency, as well as good cyclability. The crystallinity of LiCoO2 powders is considered to play an important role in determining the electrochemical properties.