Conventional and Microwave-Assisted Solvothermal Synthesis, Characterization, and Optimization of the High-Voltage Cathode Material LiCoPO 4 for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The olivine-type high-voltage cathode material LiCoPO4 is a promising candidate for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, but generally exhibits low capacities and poor cycle life. This thesis presents simple and fast microwave-assisted solvothermal synthesis pathways towards particle size- and morphology-tuned LiCoPO4 materials with cutting-edge electrochemical performances. In addition, the structure–property relationships of metastable, non-olivine LiCoPO4 polymorphs and two novel mixed-valent Co(II,III) phases are investigated.