Enhancing high-voltage LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathodes via low-temperature combustion and Ti doping

Low-temperature combustion synthesis (LTCS) enables a scalable, energy-efficient route for synthesizing high-performance cathode materials, yet its optimization for LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO) – A high-voltage cathode material – Remains underexplored. We employed LTCS, guided by propellant thermochemistry, to synthesize pristine and Ti-doped LNMO (LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5-x Ti x O 4 , x = 0.01, 0.03, 0.05), investigating the effects of annealing (700–900 °C, 5–7 h) and Ti doping on structural and electrochemical properties. Annealing at 800 °C for 6 h yielded pristine LNMO with a disordered Fd 3 ¯ m spinel structure, delivering 92.51 mAh/g at 20C. Ti doping at x = 0.03 produced uniform octahedral grains (152 nm) and reduced Mn 3+ content (25%), achieving 132.9 mAh/g at 0.1C and 91.1% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 1C. These enhancements stem from the substitution of Ti 4+ in the lattice, which stabilizes the structure and mitigates the dissolution of Mn 3+ . This optimized LTCS protocol provides a cost-effective and scalable approach for high-voltage LNMO cathodes, advancing the development of next-generation lithium-ion batteries