A novel synthesis of spherical LiFePO4 nanoparticles

An effective, simple and green synthesis method based on hydrothermal stripping technique, in which ferrous ion was stripped and precipitated directly from iron (II)-loaded organic phase, has been successfully developed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) showed that the samples synthesized at 140-250 °C with raw materials LiOH, H₃PO₄ and FeSO₄·7H₂O are well-defined spherical LiFePO₄ nanoparticles, and the particle size can be easily controlled by changing the temperature and time. Electrochemical tests showed that the sample has a higher cell performance as a cathode material. Our results suggest that hydrothermal stripping synthesis is a promising method for obtaining spherical LiFePO₄ nanoparticles without agglomeration.