Novel LaFeO₃ Coating Modification for a LiFePO₄ Cathode

A LiFePO 4 (LFP)-coated cathode with a LaFeO 3 (LFO) layer was successfully fabricated. We prepared LFP@C-LFO- x ( x = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 wt % LFO) composites using hydrothermal synthesis and sol–gel route. The LaFeO 3 coating could optimize the kinetic properties of the fabricated cathode, as well increase the ion transport and electronic conductivity of the synthesized composites. As a result, it shows that our composite materials exhibit a remarkably enhanced electrochemical performance under the combined action of the LaFeO 3 coating and the carbon layer. When the LFO is 1 wt %, our cathode of LFP@C-LFO-1 has discharge specific capacities of 164.2 and 127.3 mA h g –1 with 0.1 and 5 C and those of the pristine LFP@C are 142.6 and 112.0 mA h g –1 . Additionally, the LFP@C-LFO-1-based cathode has a significantly enhanced capacity retention rate (97.98%) compared with that of the LFP@C-based cathode (95.83%) after 100 cycles at 5 C.