Aluminum and Zirconium Dual-Doped Nickel-Cobalt-Zinc Oxide Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Aluminum (Al) and zirconium (Zr) doping have been found to enhance the structural and thermal stability, as well as the electrochemical performance of cathode materials, potentially improving their suitability for lithium-ion battery applications. Therefore, in this study, Al and Zr were incorporated into nickel-cobalt-zinc hydroxide material (NiCoZn(OH)2) via sol-gel assisted solid-state doping synthesis to produce dual-doped Li1.05Ni0.8[Co0.054Zn0.046]Al0.08Zr0.02O2 (NCZ-AZ) cathode material. The synthesized powders were characterized using SEM-EDS, XRD, and Rietveld refinement analysis. As a result of the calcination process lasting 20 hours at 800 degrees, the XRD peak intensity ratio I(003)/I(104) was 1.2, and the c/a value was 4.955. These structural parameters are critical to the material's electrochemical stability and charge/discharge cycling performance. Additionally, the cyclic voltammetry test proved the redox reversibility of the cathode material. In conclusion, this study's dual-doped NCZ-AZ cathode material demonstrates promising characteristics for advanced lithium-ion battery applications. A systematic survey of Al and Zr doping in NCZ-AZ can provide valuable information for designing next-generation cathode materials with improved stability and performance.