The effects of cathode compositions including 90–99 wt.% active material on the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries were studied. The cathodes were comprised of LiMn
0.7Fe
0.3PO
4/C secondary particles as the active material, acetylene black (AB) as the conductive additive, and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the binder in Nmethyl-2-pyrrolidone. The area ratio of the active material on the cathode surface analyzed by backscattered electron imaging was found to decrease with the increase in the AB content in the cathodes. The electrical conductivity of the cathodes increased with the increase in the weight ratio of AB and the decrease in the weight ratio of the active material in the cathodes. The discharge capacity of the cathodes including 90–99 wt.% active material was between 153.1–157.3 mAh g
−1 at a current rate of 0.2 C, showing an increase with the decrease in the weight ratio of the active material. Their energy density was found to be between 560.5–592.0 Wh kg
−1. In addition, the capacity retention rate of the cathodes having 90–98 wt.% active material was between 79.8–91.5% at current rates of 5/0.2 C, showing an increase with the decrease in the weight ratio of the active material in the cathodes. This was likely due to the low R
ct associated with the decreasing weight ratio of the active material. Among the cathode compositions with an AB/PVDF weight ratio of 1/3, 1 and 3, those with AB/PVDF=1 were found to achieve the lowest R
ct and thus the best rate capability with any active material ratios.
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