Degradation of Co3O4 anode in rechargeable lithium-ion battery: a semi-empirical approach to the effect of conducting material content

Abstract

A large amount of conducting materials has typically been blended with transition metal oxides (MxOy, M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu), and their electrochemical properties as the anode in lithium-ion batteries have been studied. Here, we report that a higher content of the conducting material results in poorer cycling stability of Co3O4. From the analysis of the cumulative irreversible capacity loss, a high content of conducting material is proven to promote irreversible electron consumption for the growth of a polymeric surface layer which is the origin of degradation. Furthermore, its formation is mathematically modeled on the basis of the Butler-Volmer relation. From the physical parameters of the polymeric surface layer determined by fitting the model to the experimental data, the degradation mechanism of Co3O4 is discussed.