Corrosion resistance of insulating refractories for the synthesis of lithium-ion battery LiCoO2 cathode materials

LiCoO2 has become the most widely used cathode material in lithium-ion batteries because of its high capacity and excellent stability. The high-temperature solid-state method is commonly used for the preparation of LiCoO2. However, this method will produce highly penetrating Li2O, which causes spall or fracture of the insulating refractory materials in the kiln. In this study, the corrosion resistance of bubble alumina, mullite, and calcium hexaaluminate (CA(6)) insulating refractories to LiCoO2 has been thoroughly investigated. Combining the laboratory-scale interfacial reaction experiments with post-experimental life cycle analysis of industrial insulating refractories, the interaction between the insulating refractory materials and LiCoO2 after calcination at 900 degrees C for 5 h and the corrosion behavior of LiCoO2 on different insulating refractory materials following heat treatment at 900 degrees C for 5 h every time and repeated seven times are investigated. The corrosion mechanisms are concluded by analyzing the physicochemical composition and macro- and micromorphology of the three insulating refractory materials before and after corrosion. The results can provide a basis for the use of insulating refractories in the development of lithium batteries.