Corrosion resistance of insulating refractories for the synthesis of lithium-ion battery LiCoO₂ cathode materials

LiCoO₂ has become the most widely used cathode material in lithium-ion batteries because of its high capacity and excellent stability. The high-temperature solid-state method is commonly used for the preparation of LiCoO₂. However, this method will produce highly penetrating Li₂O, which causes spall or fracture of the insulating refractory materials in the kiln. In this study, the corrosion resistance of bubble alumina, mullite, and calcium hexaaluminate (CA₆) insulating refractories to LiCoO₂ has been thoroughly investigated. Combining the laboratory-scale interfacial reaction experiments with post-experimental life cycle analysis of industrial insulating refractories, the interaction between the insulating refractory materials and LiCoO₂ after calcination at 900°C for 5 h and the corrosion behavior of LiCoO₂ on different insulating refractory materials following heat treatment at 900°C for 5 h every time and repeated seven times are investigated. The corrosion mechanisms are concluded by analyzing the physicochemical composition and macro- and micromorphology of the three insulating refractory materials before and after corrosion. The results can provide a basis for the use of insulating refractories in the development of lithium batteries.