ZnFe₂O₄‐C/LiFePO₄‐CNT: A Novel High‐Power Lithium‐Ion Battery with Excellent Cycling Performance

Abstract

An innovative and environmentally friendly battery chemistry is proposed for high power applications. A carbon-coated ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticle-based anode and a LiFePO₄-multiwalled carbon nanotube-based cathode, both aqueous processed with Na-carboxymethyl cellulose, are combined, for the first time, in a Li-ion full cell with exceptional electrochemical performance. Such novel battery shows remarkable rate capabilities, delivering 50% of its nominal capacity at currents corresponding to ≈20C (with respect to the limiting cathode). Furthermore, the pre-lithiation of the negative electrode offers the possibility of tuning the cell potential and, therefore, achieving remarkable gravimetric energy and power density values of 202 Wh kg^-1 and 3.72 W kg^-1, respectively, in addition to grant a lithium reservoir. The high reversibility of the system enables sustaining more than 10 000 cycles at elevated C-rates (≈10C with respect to the LiFePO₄ cathode), while retaining up to 85% of its initial capacity.