Nonaqueous UFC suspensions, used as conductive additive in cathodes for lithium batteries

Three nonaqueous ultrafine carbon suspensions (UFC) were explored as conduc tive additives in LiMn2O4 cathodes for Li cell. The specific surface areas, pore volume distributions of the pure materials and of the cathode mixture s were measured. The results were compared with these obtained using TAE2 a lone. A considerable decreasing of the specific resistivity and pore volume increasing of the UFC pellets after sintering was established. The electro chemical cycling test showed 5 to 10% higher discharge capacity of the cath odes containing 20% UFC + TAB2 at a ratio from 1:3 to 1:1, than that of the cathodes with only 20% TAB2. It is proposed the better results are due to the two physical chemical properties: pore Volume and specific resistivity. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.