Super P-modified LiFePO₄ cathode for lithium ion battery beyond theoretical capacity

Super P has become the spotlight in lithium ion battery research and almost all researchers use it as conductive additive, because it owns several desirable features, including high surface area and excellent electronic conductivity. However, here we use it to coat the commercial LiFePO₄ and the new composite delivers a capacity of 175 mAh g⁻¹, which is beyond the theoretical capacity of 170 mAh g⁻¹. Meanwhile, it has excellent rate capability and cyclic performance. Those excellent performances are mainly attributed to the reversible redox reaction between the lithium ions of the electrolyte and the conductive web combined of super P and the residual carbon and the excellent electronic conductivity of Super P. As a result, this strategy of the second modification (super P coating) may furthermore open the door to improve the electrochemical performance of the electrode material for various applications.