The preparation of LiCoO₂ nanoplates via a hydrothermal process and the investigation of their electrochemical behavior at high rates

We report an alternative hydrothermal process for the preparation of pure phase LiCoO₂ cathode material for potential application under high rates. By adjusting the hydrothermal conditions, nanoplate-like LiCoO ₂ crystals were obtained, with grain size about 200 nm. It was found in the experiment that the H₂O₂ concentration and hydrothermal temperature were the two key factors that influence the phase purity and crystal shape, while LiOH concentration has only a slight effect on the crystal size of the product. The electrochemical test revealed a good rate behavior of the synthesized pure phase LiCoO₂ nanoplates, demonstrating a potential of the hydrothermal process for mass production.