Electrical conductivity and ion transfer behavior of NiCo2O4 with different micro structures

Abstract The commercial graphite anode material in lithium-ion batteries has been limited by the low capacity and safety issue own to its low Li-intercalation potential. Spinel transition metal oxides have attracted tremendous attention because their high specific capacity and relatively high Li-intercalation potential. Herein, we investigated the influence of micro-structure on the ion transport properties of NiCo2O4 and their electronic conductivity. The optimized material with nano-cluster constructed macro-sphere demonstrates weak crystal structure and improved electrical conductivity when surrounded with amorphous carbon. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) combined with CV results give more clear explanation of the improved charge transfer resistance and ion transfer properties, which suggests the readjustment of microstructure is an important route for improving electrical conductivity and ion transfer behavior of NiCo2O4 anode.