Porous LiFePO₄/NiP Composite Nanospheres as the Cathode Materials in Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries

We report the synthesis of porous LiFePO₄/NiP composite nanospheres and their application in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. A simple one-step spraying technique was developed to prepare LiFePO₄/NiP composite nanospheres with an electrical conductivity 10³–10⁴ times that of bulk particles of LiFePO₄. Electrochemical measurements show that LiFePO₄ nanospheres with a uniform loading of 0.86 wt%–1.50 wt% NiP exhibit high discharge capacity, good cycling reversibility, and low apparent activation energies. The superior electrode performance of the as-prepared composite nanospheres results from the greatly enhanced electrical conductivity and porous structure of the materials.