We have published a research paper in ACS Journal of Materials Chemistry A. Here we show that dopants traditionally used for modifying crystal lattices can also function as growth mediators in molten-salt synthesis by altering the surface energy and thus the nucleation barrier and the critical nuclei size. This was demonstrated by size-tunable synthesis of lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) with a trace amount of titanium oxide or tungsten oxide as the dopant. The understanding of the dopant-mediated growth mechanism allows the rational design and control of the particle size and the doping for LiCoO2, enabling a high energy-density battery cathode with exceptional rate capability and cycle stability at high voltages intolerable for conventional LiCoO2. Congrats to Ms. Xiaoqiao Li and Han Wang and all the co-authors.
X. Li, L. Zhou, H. Wang, D. Meng, G. Qian, Y. Wang, Y. He, Y. Wu, Z. Hong*, Z.-F Ma, L.Li*. Dopants Modulate Crystal Growth in Molten Salts Enabled by Surface Energy Tuning. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2021.
