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Polyterthiophene/CNT composite as a cathode material for lithium batteries employing an ionic liquid electrolyte

journal contribution
posted on 2009-11-30, 00:00 authored by S Sivakkumar, Patrick HowlettPatrick Howlett, B Winther-Jensen, Maria ForsythMaria Forsyth, D MacFarlane
A polyterthiophene (PTTh)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) composite was synthesised by in situ chemical polymerisation and used as an active cathode material in lithium cells assembled with an ionic liquid (IL) or conventional liquid electrolyte, LiBF4/EC–DMC–DEC. The IL electrolyte consisted of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF4) containing LiBF4 and a small amount of vinylene carbonate (VC). The lithium cells were characterised by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling. The specific capacity of the cells with IL and conventional liquid electrolytes after the 1st cycle was 50 and 47 mAh g−1 (based on PTTh weight), respectively at the C/5 rate. The capacity retention after the 100th cycle was 78% and 53%, respectively. The lithium cell assembled with a PTTh/CNT composite cathode and a non-flammable IL electrolyte exhibited a mean discharge voltage of 3.8 V vs Li+/Li and is a promising candidate for high-voltage power sources with enhanced safety.

History

Journal

Electrochimica acta

Volume

54

Issue

27

Pagination

6844 - 6849

Publisher

Elsevier

Location

New York, N.Y.

ISSN

0013-4686

eISSN

1873-3859

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2009, Elsevier

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