Synthesizing low-cost, high-corrosion-resistant refractory kiln furniture for the calcination of Li-ion battery cathode materials

In recent years, the rapid development of the ternary Li-ion battery cathode Li(NixCoyMnz)O-2 (LNCM) materials industry has resulted in increased demand for refractory kiln furniture (saggars). To reduce the production cost of the saggars and improve their anti-corrosion performance, mullite-zirconia materials were synthesized from zircon-containing kyanite tailings. This study examines the potential of the materials as saggars in the preparation of the LNCM materials based on two aspects-the material's physical properties and its resistance to the corrosion of LNCM materials. The results show that mullite-zirconia composites can be successfully synthesized at 1500-1600 degrees C, and the physical properties of the materials meet the needs of production. Additionally, the mullite-zirconia material prepared at 1550 degrees C was more resistant to LCNM precursor corrosion than the ones prepared at 1500 and 1600 degrees C.