Synthesized K2O•11Al2O3 as sagger matrix for the preparation of Li-ion battery cathode materials at high temperatures

Refractory materials such as mullite, andalusite, forsterite, and cordierite are generally used to prepare saggers for the calcination of Li-ion battery Li(NixCoyMnz)O-2 (LNCM) cathode material. However, these compounds are prone to be attacked by the LNCM materials, thereby leading to short life spans and contamination of the Li-ion battery cathode materials. To improve the corrosion resistance of refractory sagger materials, the most clear cut-way is enhancing the corrosion resistance of matrix using a new refractory component. Potassium aluminate (K2O center dot 11Al(2)O(3), KA(11)) with an excellent corrosion resistance against alkaline oxide was synthesized via solid-state method using potassium carbonate (K2CO3) and industrial alumina powder (Al2O3). Interactions between KA(11) and LNCM cathode materials at 800 degrees C-1100 degrees C were characterized by refractory-LNCM precursor laboratory-scale tests to understand the corrosion behavior of KA(11). The microstructure and phase composition of synthesized KA(11) and the calcined KA(11)-LNCM mixture cylinders were analyzed with SEM and XRD. The observations reveal that KA(11) shows a better corrosion resistance to LNCM materials compared with mullite, cordierite, and forsterite. The addition of synthesized KA(11) also favors the thermal shock resistances of mullite-based sagger materials.