Structural and electrochemical performance of F-doped SnO2 coated LiCoO2 as cathode materials

The conductive Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2, LCO) cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries were synthesized utilizing the sol-gel technique. The particle morphology, crystallographic structure, and elemental distribution of the FTO-coated specimens were examined through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The findings revealed a uniform distribution of the FTO coating layer on the LCO particles. In comparison to uncoated LCO, the electrochemical performance of FTO-coated LCO materials exhibited significant enhancement within the voltage range of 2.75–4.5 V. FTO-coated LCO materials annealed at 600 °C demonstrated exceptional cycling stability and rate performance: the capacity retention reached 92.8 % after 100 cycles, and the discharge capacity achieved 146 mAh∙g−1 at a rate of 8 C (1600 mAh g−1).