Disclosure of Invention
In view of the above existing in the prior artThe invention aims to provide a composite graphite material, a preparation method thereof and application in a lithium ion battery, in order to obtain a composite graphite negative electrode material with high capacity, high compaction, low expansion, high multiplying power and long service life by integrating the advantages of natural graphite and artificial graphite, and the electrode plate prepared from the composite graphite material has the advantages of high compaction density, high electrode plate imbibition rate and good electrolyte compatibility, and the compaction density of the electrode plate is 1.75g/cm3The liquid absorption time is less than or equal to 60s, and the battery assembled by the electrode plate has high capacity, good rate capability and cycle performance, the first lithium removal specific capacity is more than 360.5mAh/g, the first efficiency is more than 93.5 percent, and the capacity retention rate of the finished battery after being charged and discharged at normal temperature and circulating for 500 weeks is more than 85 percent.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of preparing a composite graphite material, the method comprising the steps of:
(1) uniformly mixing activated natural graphite, an artificial graphite precursor and asphalt to obtain a mixture;
(2) placing the mixture in a fusion machine, and performing fusion granulation in an inert atmosphere to obtain a fusion granulation product;
(3) and uniformly mixing the fused and granulated product with a graphitization catalyst, and graphitizing to obtain the composite graphite material.
According to the method, activated natural graphite, an artificial graphite precursor and asphalt are mixed, and are fused, granulated and graphitized, so that the obtained composite graphite material has high specific capacity, very good high-current rate capability and cycle performance, and the liquid absorption performance is improved.
As a preferable technical scheme of the method, the activated natural graphite is natural graphite subjected to surface functionalization treatment.
The surface-functionalized natural graphite of the present invention has functional groups on the surface thereof, which are atoms or atomic groups that can determine the chemical properties of the organic compound.
Preferably, the surface-functionalization treated natural graphite is any one of aminated natural graphite, oxidized natural graphite, aminated complex oxidized natural graphite, a mixture of aminated natural graphite and oxidized natural graphite, and preferably a mixture of aminated natural graphite and oxidized natural graphite.
In the invention, ammoniation treatment, oxidation treatment or ammoniation composite oxidation treatment is carried out under the atmosphere of oxygen or ammonia gas, the inert property of the graphite surface is mainly changed, and some functional groups containing O or N are grafted, so that the method is more favorable for more firm bonding of secondary particles and is also favorable for improving the liquid absorption performance.
The "aminated composite oxidation treated natural graphite" in the invention refers to: the modified natural graphite is obtained by firstly carrying out ammoniation treatment and then carrying out oxidation treatment on natural graphite, or the modified natural graphite is obtained by firstly carrying out oxidation treatment and then carrying out ammoniation treatment on natural graphite.
As a further preferable technical solution of the method of the present invention, the natural graphite subjected to surface functionalization treatment is a mixture of aminated natural graphite and oxidized natural graphite, under the condition, the aminated functional group and the oxidized functional group can synergistically promote firm bonding between natural graphite particles and between natural graphite and artificial graphite precursors, and after subsequent granulation and graphitization processes, the performance of the obtained composite graphite material is also greatly improved.
More preferably, in the mixture of aminated natural graphite and oxidized natural graphite, the mass ratio of aminated natural graphite to oxidized natural graphite is 9:1 to 1:9, for example, 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, 3.5:6.5, 4:6, 5:5, 5.5:4.5, 6:4, 6.5:3.5, 7:3, 8:2, or 9:1, and preferably 7:3 to 5: 5.
Preferably, the aminated natural graphite is prepared by the following method: and carrying out heat treatment on the natural graphite in an ammonia atmosphere to obtain the ammonified graphite.
Preferably, the oxidation-treated natural graphite is prepared by the following method: and (3) carrying out heat treatment on the natural graphite in an oxygen atmosphere and/or an air atmosphere to obtain the natural graphite subjected to oxidation treatment.
Preferably, the aminated composite oxidation treated natural graphite is prepared by the first scheme or the second scheme:
the first scheme is as follows: carrying out heat treatment on the aminated natural graphite in an oxygen atmosphere and/or an air atmosphere;
scheme II: and carrying out heat treatment on the oxidized natural graphite in an ammonia atmosphere.
Preferably, the natural graphite has a median particle diameter D50 of 2 to 12 μm, for example, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, or 12 μm, and preferably D50 of 3 to 8 μm.
Preferably, the sphericity of the natural graphite is 0.80 to 0.95, for example, 0.80, 0.82, 0.83, 0.85, 0.87, 0.88, 0.90, 0.91, 0.92, 0.94, or 0.95.
Preferably, the carbon content of the natural graphite is greater than 99.95 wt.%, e.g., 99.96 wt.%, 99.98 wt.%, or 99.99 wt.%, etc.
Preferably, in the process of preparing the aminated natural graphite, the oxidized natural graphite and the aminated complex-oxidation treated natural graphite, the heat treatment temperature is independently 300 to 1000 ℃, such as 300 ℃, 400 ℃, 450 ℃, 500 ℃, 550 ℃, 600 ℃, 650 ℃, 700 ℃, 750 ℃, 800 ℃, 850 ℃, 900 ℃, 950 ℃ or 1000 ℃, and independently preferably 600 to 800 ℃.
In the present invention, the "temperature of the heat treatment is independently 300 to 1000 ℃" means: the heat treatment temperature in the process of preparing the ammoniated natural graphite is 300-1000 ℃; the temperature of heat treatment in the process of preparing the natural graphite subjected to oxidation treatment is 300-1000 ℃; in the first scheme for preparing the natural graphite subjected to ammoniation composite oxidation treatment, the temperature of heat treatment is 300-1000 ℃; the temperature of the heat treatment in the second scheme for preparing the natural graphite subjected to the ammoniation composite oxidation treatment is 300-1000 ℃.
Preferably, in the process of preparing the aminated natural graphite, the oxidized natural graphite and the aminated composite oxidized natural graphite, the heat treatment time is independently 2h to 5h, such as 2h, 2.2h, 2.4h, 2.5h, 2.6h, 2.8h, 3h, 3.3h, 3.5h, 4h, 4.25h, 4.5h, 4.7h or 5h, etc.
In the present invention, the "air atmosphere and/or oxygen atmosphere" means: the atmosphere may be an air atmosphere, an oxygen atmosphere, or a mixed atmosphere of an air atmosphere and an oxygen atmosphere.
Preferably, the flow rate of ammonia gas in the process of preparing the aminated natural graphite is 5L/h.kg-20L/h.kg, such as 5L/h.kg, 8L/h.kg, 10L/h.kg, 11L/h.kg, 12L/h.kg, 14L/h.kg, 15L/h.kg, 17L/h.kg, 18L/h.kg, 19L/h.kg or 20L/h.kg, etc.
Preferably, the flow rate of oxygen and/or air in the process of preparing the oxidation-treated natural graphite is 5L/h.kg to 20L/h.kg, such as 5L/h.kg, 6L/h.kg, 8L/h.kg, 10L/h.kg, 12L/h.kg, 14L/h.kg, 15L/h.kg, 17L/h.kg, 18L/h.kg, 18.5L/h.kg, 20L/h.kg, etc.
Preferably, in the first embodiment, the flow rate of oxygen and/or air is 5L/h.kg to 20L/h.kg, such as 5L/h.kg, 7L/h.kg, 10L/h.kg, 12L/h.kg, 13L/h.kg, 15L/h.kg, 17L/h.kg, 18L/h.kg, 19L/h.kg or 20L/h.kg.
Preferably, in the second embodiment, the flow rate of ammonia gas is 5L/h.kg-20L/h.kg, such as 5L/h.kg, 8L/h.kg, 9L/h.kg, 11L/h.kg, 12L/h.kg, 13L/h.kg, 15L/h.kg, 16L/h.kg, 18L/h.kg or 20L/h.kg.
Preferably, the apparatus used for preparing the surface-functionalization-treated graphite is any one of a rotary kiln, a box-type heating furnace, or a tube furnace.
Preferably, the artificial graphite precursor in the step (1) is coke and/or mesocarbon microbeads.
In the invention, the "artificial graphite precursor is coke and/or mesocarbon microbeads graphite" means: the graphite can be coke, mesocarbon microbeads or a mixture of coke and mesocarbon microbeads.
Preferably, the coke is petroleum-based coke, coal-based coke, or a mixed coke of petroleum-based coke and coal-based coke, and exemplary petroleum-based cokes are: oil-based needle coke, sponge coke, shot coke, and the like, and exemplary coal-based cokes are: coal-based needle coke, asphalt coke, modified asphalt coke, and the like.
The coke preferably has a median particle diameter D50 of 2 to 12 μm, for example, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 μm, and preferably D50 of 3 to 8 μm.
Preferably, the mesocarbon microbeads are green pellets.
Preferably, the median particle diameter of the mesocarbon microbeads of graphite is 2 to 12 μm, for example, 2 to 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 12 μm, and preferably D50 is 3 to 8 μm.
Preferably, the asphalt in the step (1) is any one or a mixture of at least two of petroleum asphalt, coal-series asphalt or modified asphalt. Exemplary coal-based bitumens are: low temperature coal pitch, medium temperature coal pitch, high temperature coal pitch, and the like, and exemplary modified pitches are: resin-modified asphalt, rubber-modified asphalt, and oxidation-modified asphalt.
Preferably, the mass ratio of the activated natural graphite, the artificial graphite precursor and the pitch in the step (1) is (90-10): (10-90): (5-30), for example, 75:25:20, 60:40:20, 50:50:20, 30:70:15, 80:15:10, 85:15:5, 10:80:30, 10:90:5, 40:60:20, 50:35:15, 45:45:10, 30:40:30, 50:35:15, 70:20:10, 10:70:20, 10:80:10, 90:10:5, 10:10:30 or 10:85: 30.
Preferably, the inert atmosphere in step (2) is any one of a nitrogen atmosphere, a helium atmosphere, a neon atmosphere, an argon atmosphere, a krypton atmosphere, or a xenon atmosphere, or a combination of at least two of them.
Preferably, the apparatus used for the fusion granulation in step (2) is a fusion machine, such as a commercially available mechanical fusion machine.
Preferably, the temperature for the fusion granulation in step (2) is 600 to 650 ℃, for example 600 ℃, 610 ℃, 615 ℃, 620 ℃, 625 ℃, 630 ℃, 635 ℃, 640 ℃, 650 ℃ or the like.
Preferably, the fusion granulation time in step (2) is 5h to 10h, such as 5h, 5.5h, 6h, 7h, 7.5h, 8h, 9h, 9.5h or 10 h.
Preferably, the graphitization catalyst in the step (3) is any one or a mixture of at least two of carbide, boron oxide or iron oxide, such as silicon carbide, diboron trioxide, ferroferric oxide and ferric oxide, and the like, and is preferably silicon carbide.
Preferably, the median particle diameter of the graphitization catalyst in the step (3) is 2 to 15 μm, for example, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, or 15 μm.
Preferably, the graphitizing catalyst of step (3) is added in an amount of 3 wt.% to 10 wt.%, e.g., 3 wt.%, 4 wt.%, 5 wt.%, 5.5 wt.%, 6 wt.%, 7 wt.%, 7.5 wt.%, 8 wt.%, 8.5 wt.%, 9 wt.%, or 10 wt.%, etc., of the total mass of the graphitizing catalyst and the pelletized product.
Preferably, the graphitization temperature in step (3) is 2600 ℃ to 3200 ℃, e.g., 2600 ℃, 2650 ℃, 2700 ℃, 2750 ℃, 2800 ℃, 2900 ℃, 3000 ℃, 3100 ℃, 3200 ℃, or the like.
Preferably, the method further comprises the step of classifying or screening after the graphitization is completed.
As a further preferred technical solution of the method of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of:
(1) taking natural graphite with the median particle size of D50-3-8 μm as a raw material, introducing ammonia gas at the flow rate of 5-20L/h.kg, and carrying out heat treatment at 600-800 ℃ for 2-5 h to obtain aminated natural graphite;
(2) taking natural graphite with the median particle size of D50-3-8 μm as a raw material, introducing oxygen at the flow rate of 5-20L/h.kg, and carrying out heat treatment at 600-800 ℃ for 2-5 h to obtain natural graphite subjected to oxidation treatment;
(3) uniformly mixing activated natural graphite, petroleum coke and petroleum asphalt according to the ratio of (90-10) to (10-90) to (5-30), adding the mixture into a high-temperature mechanical fusion machine, introducing inert gas, performing fusion granulation for 5-10 h at the temperature of 600-650 ℃, and cooling to obtain a fusion granulation product;
(4) uniformly mixing the fused and granulated product with silicon carbide, graphitizing at 2600-3200 ℃, and grading or sieving to obtain the composite graphite material.
The negative plate is prepared from the composite graphite material prepared by the preferred technical scheme, and the compaction density of the negative plate reaches 1.8g/cm3The liquid absorption time is less than 46s, the electrochemical performance of a battery assembled by the electrode plate is excellent, the first lithium removal specific capacity reaches more than 362mAh/g, the first efficiency is more than 95%, and the capacity retention rate is more than 89% after 500 cycles of normal-temperature charge and discharge.
The method adopts a surface functionalization process to activate the surface of natural graphite, prepares aminated natural graphite and oxidized natural graphite, and mixes the natural graphite and the artificial graphite to cooperatively promote the formation of firm secondary particles among natural graphite particles and between the natural graphite and an artificial graphite precursor, and the composite graphite material prepared by mixing the natural graphite and the artificial graphite precursor has excellent performance.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a composite graphite material prepared by the method of the first aspect.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a negative electrode comprising the composite graphite material according to the second aspect as a negative electrode active material.
In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a lithium ion battery comprising the composite graphite material of the second aspect.
Compared with the prior art, the invention has the following beneficial effects:
(1) according to the method, activated natural graphite, an artificial graphite precursor and asphalt are mixed, and are fused, granulated and graphitized, so that the obtained composite graphite material has high specific capacity, very good high-current rate capability and cycle performance, and the liquid absorption performance is improved.
(2) The method improves the surface inertia property of the natural graphite through surface functionalization treatment, obtains the activated natural graphite, and promotes the natural graphite to be in contact with each otherThe electrode plate prepared from the composite graphite material has the advantages of high compaction density, high liquid absorption rate of the electrode plate and good compatibility with electrolyte, and the compaction density of the electrode plate is 1.75g/cm3The liquid absorption time is less than or equal to 60s, and the battery assembled by the electrode plate has high capacity, excellent rate performance, cycle life and other performances, the first lithium removal specific capacity is more than 360.5mAh/g, the first efficiency is more than 93.5 percent, and the capacity retention rate of the finished battery after being charged and discharged at normal temperature for 500 cycles is more than 85 percent.
(3) The preparation process is simple, easy to operate and suitable for industrial production.
(4) The composite graphite material is suitable for being used as a negative active material to prepare a negative electrode and further prepare a battery, and is suitable for lithium ion batteries of mobile phones, digital electrical appliances, electric tools, electric automobiles, energy storage and the like.