Simple and Fast Synthesis of LiFePO sub(4)-C Composite for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries by Ball-Milling and Microwave Heating

Simple and fast synthesis of LiFePO sub(4)-C composite for lithium (Li) rechargeable batteries by ball-milling and microwave heating were analyzed. The strategies of electronically conductive carbon coating, particle size reduction and supervalent cation doping had contributed to an improvement in the rate-capability of LiFePO sub(4). Microwave heating could achieve very fast and uniform heating through a self-heating process that arose from the direct absorption of microwave energy into the materials. It was found that LiFePO sub(4)-C without ferric ion (Fe super(3+)) impurities was synthesized even in 2 min by microwave heating, which was the shortest microwave heating time. It was concluded that the ball-milling process lowered the synthetic temperature of LiFePO sub(4) and increased the microwave heating efficiency in addition to the advantages of reducing the particle size and distributing carbon uniformly.