Chemical and electrochemical lithiation of LiVOPO₄ cathodes for lithium-ion batteries

The theoretical capacity of LiVOPO₄ could be increased from 159 to 318 mAh/g with the insertion of a second Li⁺ ion into the lattice to form Li₂VOPO₄, significantly enhancing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. The phase changes accompanying the second Li⁺ insertion into α-LiVOPO₄ and β-LiVOPO ₄ are presented here at various degrees of lithiation, employing both electrochemical and chemical lithiation. Inductively coupled plasma, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements indicate that a composition of Li₂VOPO₄ can be realized with an oxidation state of V³⁺ by the chemical lithiation process. The accompanying structural changes are evidenced by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction. Spectroscopic and diffraction data collected with the chemically lithiated samples as well as diffraction data on the electrochemically lithiated samples reveal that a significant amount of lithium can be inserted into α-LiVOPO₄ before a phase change occurs. In contrast, lithiation of β-LiVOPO₄ is more consistent with the formation of a two-phase mixture throughout most of the lithiation range. The phases observed with the ambient-temperature lithiation processes presented here are significantly different from those reported in the literature.