LITHIUM-TRANSITION METAL COMPLEX COMPOUNDS HAVING Nth ORDER HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE, METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME AND LITHIUM BATTERY COMPRISING AN ELECTRODE COMPRISING THE SAME

Abstract

A lithium-transition metal complex compound has an n th order hierarchical structure in which n type structures represented by at least one unit of a th order units in a range of 1×10-(a+5) m to 10×10-(a+5) m exist in a complex form, wherein n is a natural number that is 2 or greater, and a is a natural number in a range of 1 to 5. The lithium-transition metal complex may be prepared by heat-treating a mixture including a lithium source, a transition metal source, and solvent in contact with a natural material having a hierarchical structure. A lithium battery includes an electrode including the lithium-transition metal complex compound having the n th order hierarchical structure. The lithium battery can have improved rapid charging characteristics, high power characteristics, and cycle characteristics.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of preparing a lithium-transition metal complex compound, the method comprising:
 providing a mixture comprising a lithium source, a transition metal source, and solvent;   providing a natural material having a hierarchical structure as a template; and   heat treating the mixture and the natural material while the mixture and the natural material contact each other to obtain a lithium-transition metal complex compound having an n th  order hierarchical structure in which n type structures represented by at least one unit of a th  order units in the range of 1×10 −(a+5)  m to 10×10 −(a+5)  m exist in a complex form, wherein n is a natural number that is 2 or greater, and a is a natural number in a range of 1 to 5.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat treating is performed at a heating rate of about 0.1° C./min to about 5° C./min to a final temperature of about 300° C. to about 1200° C. for about 0.5 to about 200 hours in an air atmosphere. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat treating comprises a first heat treatment process in which a lithium-transition metal complex is synthesized and the natural material is carbonized to form a lithium-transition metal complex compound comprising the carbonized natural material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat treatment process is performed at a heating rate of about 1° C./min to about 10° C./min to a final temperature of about 300° C. to about 1200° C. for about 0.5 to about 48 hours in an inert atmosphere. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , after the first heat treatment process, further comprising a second heat treatment process in which the carbonized natural material is removed from the lithium-transition metal complex compound comprising the carbonized natural material prepared by the first heat treatment process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second heat treatment process is performed at a heating rate of about 0.5° C./min to about 5° C./min to a final temperature of about 300° C. to about 1000° C. for about 0.5 to about 48 hours in an air atmosphere. 
     
     
         7 . A lithium-transition metal complex compound prepared by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A lithium battery comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolytic solution, wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode comprises the lithium-transition metal complex compound prepared by the method of  claim 1 .