Calcination Temperature Effects on the Electrochemical Performance of Li2MnSiO4/C Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

As a new potential cathode material for lithium ion batteries, Li2MnSiO4/C was synthesized by a solution method. The thermal behavior of the precursor for Li2MnSiO4/C was measured by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and the range of calcination temperatures from 600 to 800 degrees C was determined. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) patterns indicated that all the Li2MnSiO4/C samples crystallized in an orthorhombic structure with space group Pmn2(1). The morphology and particle size of the samples were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of calcination temperature on the electrochemical performance of Li2MnSiO4/C were studied using galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements at various current densities. The results showed that the sample prepared at 700 degrees C exhibited a much higher coulombic efficiency and better cyclic performance than the other samples.