Utilizing Cold Rolling Mill Iron Oxide To Synthesize Lithium Iron Phosphate for Li-Ion Batteries

This study explores the utilization of cold rolling mill (CRM) iron oxide as a precursor for synthesizing high-performance lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cathodes for Li-ion batteries. The primary objective is to investigate the viability of employing cold rolling mill iron oxide to synthesize LiFePO4 cathodes and their acceptable electrochemical performance for the sustainable development of lithium-ion batteries. The methodology involves the transformation of the CRM iron oxide precursor into iron phosphate, followed by the synthesis of the final LiFePO4/C cathode composite material with high crystallinity through a solid-state sintering process. The improved morphology of the intermediate iron phosphate facilitates the synthesis of high-performance LiFePO4/C cathode. The transmission electron microscope analysis demonstrates the successful synthesis of a high-crystalline carbon-coated cathode composite material. Galvanostatic charge–discharge showed an initial discharge capacity of 163 mAh/g at 0.1 C and 148 mAh/g at 1 C with 91% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 0.1 C and 85% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1 C, respectively. The overall observations reveal the potential of utilizing cold rolling mill iron oxide as a precursor for the synthesis of high-performance LiFePO4/C cathode composite for Li-ion batteries. The findings contribute to advancing the sustainable development of efficient lithium-ion battery technologies and offering promising avenues for enhancing energy storage systems.