Effects of Tween 80 dispersant on LiFePO4/C cathode material prepared by sonochemical high-temperature ball milling method

Li-ion batteries have drawn increasing attention because of attractive characteristics such as high operating voltage, high particle density, long cycle life, low self-discharge, and not showing a memory effect. LiFePO_4/C cathode material was prepared via a sonochemical high-temperature ball milling method using Tween 80 dispersant. The effects of the Tween 80 on the electrochemical properties of LiFePO₄/C were investigated. The experimental results showed that the Tween 80 improved the surface area of LiFePO₄/C, and the prepared cathode material showed a better electrochemical performance: it delivered discharge capacities of 159.0 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 C and 110.4 mAh g⁻¹ at 10 C, which were higher than for Tween 80-free samples. Moreover, the discharge capacity was 119.6 mAh g⁻¹ at a rate of 5.0 C over 100 cycles while the capacity retention was 94.2%.