Nanocomposites and nanomaterials
Synthesis of nanoparticles of LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 cathode materials for li-ion batteries
Demchuk D.1, Kobylianska S.2, Khomenko V.1, Barsukov V.1, Belous А.2 
1 Department of electrochemical power engineering & chemistry, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Nemyrovycha-Danchenka St 2,, Kyiv- 01011, Ukraine. 
E-mail: xarond13@gmail.com 
2 Solid State Chemistry Department, Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Palladina ave., 32/34, Kyiv-03680, Ukraine..

In the 21st century scientists have persistent in trying to improve the electrochemical performance of the existing batteries and are constantly seeking highly efficient electrodes. Layered oxides Li[Co–Ni–Mn]O2 with the spinel structure have recently been shown to possess several superior characteristics as compared to those of the individual layered compounds, LiMO2 (M = Co, Ni, or Mn), in terms of performance, economy, thermal stability, non-toxicity [1]. Typical compositions LiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2 have been investigated and Li[Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3]O2 (NCM) has been shown to deliver a specific capacity of 160 mA h/g [2]. Thus, NCM is considered as a promising next-generation cathode material. The most popular method of preparation of NCM is the coprecipitation method. Although preparation via hydroxide co-precipitation leads to phase-pure products, the method is generally considered cumbersome and require high temperatures of sintering (from 800 °C). Therefore, the aim of this work are to obtain NCM particles by sol-gel method at low temperature and to shorten process time.
Nanoparticles of NCM have been synthesized via the sol–gel method using metal nitrates. It has been shown that precursor of NCM obtained after drying of polymer gel at 300 °C contain NCM as a major phase and a small amount of X-phase, which could be as a polymeric complexes of metals with citric acid and ethylene glycol. With increasing of temperature of heat treatment of precursor the amount of X-phase decrease and at 500°C single-phase NCM has been obtained.   

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2.	Shaju K.M., Subba Rao G.V., Chowdari B.V.R. Performance of layered Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2 as cathode for Li-ion batteries // Electrochimica Acta.-2002.48(2). P. 145-151.