Intimately mixed copper, cobalt, and iron fluorides resulting from the insertion of fluorine into a LDH template

Abstract

The advancement of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high performance is crucial across various sectors, notably in space exploration. This advancement hinges on the development of innovative cathode materials. Our research is dedicated to pioneering a new category of cathodes using fluorinated multimetallic materials, with a specific focus on diverging from the traditional Ni, Co, and Mn-based NMC chemistries by substituting nickel and manganese with copper and iron which are more sustainable elements. Our goal is also to enhance the robustness of cathodes upon cycling by substituting oxygen with fluorine as the metal–ligand. To achieve this, an intimate composite blend of CuF₂ and FeF₃, through the multi-metallic template fluorination (MMTF) methodology using a layered double hydroxide (LDH) as a precursor has been designed. Each of these components was carefully selected for its distinct attributes, including high redox potential, elevated energy density, substantial theoretical capacity, and improved cyclability. The composition denoted as (Cu_1.5Co_0.5)²⁺(Fe_0.75Al_0.25)³⁺ has been selected for fluorination because it maximizes Fe³⁺ and Cu²⁺ amount in the screened LDHs. Subsequently, this particular LDH was fluorinated through solid–gas fluorination at different temperatures (200, 350, and 500 °C) using gaseous molecular fluorine (F₂). A comprehensive characterization of these materials using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), and inductively coupled plasma analyses (ICP-AES) was conducted, and the evolution of LDH upon fluorination has revealed an intermediate porous texture particularly sensitive to hydration. Two original crystallographic phases are else obtained by fluorination: one formed by the hydration of the amorphous intermediate compound: Cu₃Fe_1.5Al_0.5F₁₂(H₂O)₁₂ an anti-perovskite structure and another stabilized through the combination of solid gas fluorination and LDH precursor yielding an original CoFeF₅-type phase. Raman operando during cyclic voltammetry measurement applied on a sample fluorinated at 500 °C and used as a cathode in front of lithium metal was finally conducted to validate redox activity and mechanism.