One-step argon/nitrogen binary plasma jet irradiation of Li sub(4)Ti sub(5)O sub(12) for stable high-rate lithium ion battery anodes

Atmospheric pressure Ar/N sub(2) binary plasma jet irradiation has been introduced into the manufacturing process of lithium ions batteries as a facile, green and scalable post-fabrication treatment approach, which enhanced significantly the high-rate anode performance of lithium titanate (Li sub(4)Ti sub(5)O sub(12 )). Main emission lines in Ar/N sub(2) plasma measured by optical emission spectroscopy reveal that the dominant excited high-energy species in Ar/N sub(2) plasma are N sub(2)*, (ProQuest: Formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted), N* and Ar*. Sufficient oxygen vacancies have been evidenced by high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and Raman spectra. Nitrogen doping has been achieved simultaneously by the surface reaction between pristine Li sub(4)Ti sub(5)O sub(12) particles and chemically reactive plasma species such as N* and (ProQuest: Formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted). The variety of Li sub(4)Ti sub(5)O sub(12) particles on the surface of electrodes after different plasma processing time has been examined by grazing incident X-Ray diffraction. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) confirm that the Ar/N sub(2) atmospheric plasma treatment facilitates Li+ ions diffusion and reduces the internal charge-transfer resistance. The as-prepared Li sub(4)Ti sub(5)O sub(12) anodes exhibit a superior capacity (132 mAh g super(-1)) and excellent stability with almost no capacity decay over 100 cycles under a high C rate (10C).