Low temperature lithium manganese cobalt oxide spinels, Li4-xMn5-2xCo3xO12(0 <= x <= 1), for use as cathode materials in rechargeable lithium batteries

Low temperature synthesis of the Lithium-rich cubic spinel Li4Mn5O12 with a n oxidation state very close to +4 is described. The effect of doping this compound with cobalt according to the solid solution mechanism Li4-xMn5-2xC o3xO12 up to the solid solution limit, LiMnCoO4, has also been explored. Th e evolution of the structure and electrochemistry with increasing cobalt do ping is described. With increasing x there is increasing population of the tetrahedral 8a site by transition metal ions reaching 25% occupancy by Co a t LiMnCoO4 with corresponding displacement of Li to 16d sites. The optimum performance was obtained for die composition Li3.75Mn4.5Co0.75O12 which yie lds a capacity of 250 mA g(-1) at a rate of 25 mA g(-1) (equivalent to C/6) with no perceptible capacity loss, in sharp contrast to the pure Mn materi als. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.