Kinetic analysis of the thermal stability of lithium silicates (Li4SiO4 and Li2SiO3)

The kinetics describing the thermal decomposition of Li₄SiO₄ and Li₂SiO₃ have been analysed. While Li₄SiO₄ decomposed on Li₂SiO₃ by lithium sublimation, Li₂SiO₃ was highly stable at the temperatures studied. Li₄SiO₄ began to decompose between 900 and 1000 °C. However, at 1100 °C or higher temperatures, Li₄SiO₄ melted, and the kinetic data of its decomposition varied. The activation energy of both processes was estimated according to the Arrhenius kinetic theory. The energy values obtained were −408 and −250 kJ mol⁻¹ for the solid and liquid phases, respectively. At the same time, the Li₄SiO₄ decomposition process was described mathematically as a function of a diffusion-controlled reaction into a spherical system. The activation energy for this process was estimated to be −331 kJ mol⁻¹. On the other hand, Li₂SiO₃ was not decomposed at high temperatures, but it presented a very high preferential orientation after the heat treatments.     

Effect of surface fluorination and conductive additives on the electrochemical behavior of lithium titanate (Li4/3Ti5/3O4) for lithium ion battery

Effect of surface fluorination and conductive additives on the charge/discharge behavior of lithium titanate (Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄) has been investigated using F₂ gas and vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF). Surface fluorination of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ was made using F₂ gas (3 × 10⁴ Pa) at 25-150 °C for 2 min. Charge capacities of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ samples fluorinated at 70 °C and 100 °C were larger than those for original sample at high current densities of 300 and 600 mA/g. Optimum fluorination temperatures of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ were 70 °C and 100 °C. Fibrous VGCF with a large surface area (17.7 m²/g) increased the utilization of available capacity of Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ probably because it provided the better electrical contact than acetylene black (AB) between Li_4/3Ti_5/3O₄ particles and nickel current collector.     

A neutron diffraction study of the d and d lithium garnets Li3Nd3W2O12 and Li5La3Sb2O12

The garnets Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ and Li₅La₃Sb₂O₁₂ have been prepared by heating the component oxides and hydroxides in air at temperatures up to 950 °C. Neutron powder diffraction has been used to examine the lithium distribution in these phases. Both compounds crystallise in the space group with lattice parameters a=12.46869(9) Å (Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂) and a=12.8518(3) Å (Li₅La₃Sb₂O₁₂). Li₃Nd₃W₂O₁₂ contains lithium on a filled, tetrahedrally coordinated 24d site that is occupied in the conventional garnet structure. Li₅La₃Sb₂O₁₂ contains partial occupation of lithium over two crystallographic sites. The conventional tetrahedrally coordinated 24d site is 79.3(8)% occupied. The remaining lithium is found in oxide octahedra which are linked via a shared face to the tetrahedron. This lithium shows positional disorder and is split over two positions within the octahedron and occupies 43.6(4)% of the octahedra. Comparison of these compounds with related d⁰ and d¹⁰ phases shows that replacement of a d⁰ cation with d¹⁰ cation of the same charge leads to an increase in the lattice parameter due to polarisation effects.     

A comparison of the transport properties of lithium-stuffed garnets and the conventional phases Li3Ln3Te2O12

The structures of new phases Li₆CaLa₂Sb₂O₁₂ and Li_6.4Ca_1.4La₂Sb₂O₁₂ have been characterised using neutron powder diffraction. Rietveld analyses show that both compounds crystallise in the space group la3?d and contain the lithium cations in a complex arrangement with occupational disorder across oxide tetrahedra and distorted oxide octahedra, with considerable positional disorder in the latter. Variable temperature neutron diffraction experiments on Li_6.4Ca_1.4La₂Sb₂O₁₂ show the structure is largely invariant with only a small variation in the lithium distribution as a function of temperature. Impedance spectroscopy measurements show that the total conductivity of Li₆CaLa₂Sb₂O₁₂ is several orders of magnitude smaller than related lithium-stuffed garnets with σ=10⁻⁷ S cm⁻¹ at 95 °C and an activation energy of 0.82(3) eV. The transport properties of the conventional garnets Li₃Gd₃Te₂O₁₂, Li₃Tb₃Te₂O₁₂, Li₃Er₃Te₂O₁₂ and Li₃Lu₃Te₂O₁₂ have been evaluated and consistently show much lower values of conductivity, σ≤4.4×10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹ at 285 °C and activation energies in the range 0.77(4)≤E_a/eV≤1.21(3).     

Effect of sintering on the ionic conductivity of garnet-related structure Li5La3Nb2O12 and In- and K-doped Li5La3Nb2O12

Garnet-structure related metal oxides with the nominal chemical composition of Li₅La₃Nb₂O₁₂, In-substituted Li_5.5La₃Nb_1.75In_0.25O₁₂ and K-substituted Li_5.5La_2.75K_0.25Nb₂O₁₂ were prepared by solid-state reactions at 900, 950, and 1000 °C using appropriate amounts of corresponding metal oxides, nitrates and carbonates. The powder XRD data reveal that the In- and K-doped compounds are isostructural with the parent compound Li₅La₃Nb₂O₁₂. The variation in the cubic lattice parameter was found to change with the size of the dopant ions, for example, substitution of larger In³⁺(r_CN6: 0.79 Å) for smaller Nb⁵⁺ (r_CN6: 0.64 Å) shows an increase in the lattice parameter from 12.8005(9) to 12.826(1) Å at 1000 °C. Samples prepared at higher temperatures (950, 1000 °C) show mainly bulk lithium ion conductivity in contrast to those synthesized at lower temperatures (900 °C). The activation energies for the ionic conductivities are comparable for all samples. Partial substitution of K⁺ for La³⁺ and In³⁺ for Nb⁵⁺ in Li₅La₃Nb₂O₁₂ exhibits slightly higher ionic conductivity than that of the parent compound over the investigated temperature regime 25-300 °C. Among the compounds investigated, the In-substituted Li_5.5La₃Nb_1.75In_0.25O₁₂ exhibits the highest bulk lithium ion conductivity of 1.8×10⁻⁴ S/cm at 50 °C with an activation energy of 0.51 eV. The diffusivity (“component diffusion coefficient”) obtained from the AC conductivity and powder XRD data falls in the range 10⁻¹⁰-10⁻⁷ cm²/s over the temperature regime 50-200 °C, which is extraordinarily high and comparable with liquids. Substitution of Al, Co, and Ni for Nb in Li₅La₃Nb₂O₁₂ was found to be unsuccessful under the investigated conditions.     

Determination of the Lamb-Mössbauer factors of LiFePO4 and FePO4 for electrochemical in situ and operando measurements in Li-ion batteries

⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy is a powerful tool to investigate redox reactions during in electrochemical lithium insertion/extraction processes. Electrochemical oxidation of LiFe^IIPO₄ (triphylite) in Li-ion batteries results in Fe^IIIPO₄ (heterosite). LiFePO₄ was synthesized by solid state reaction at 800 °C under Ar flow from Li₂CO₃, FeC₂O₄·2H₂O and NH₄H₂PO₄ precursors in stoichiometric composition. FePO₄ was prepared from chemical oxidation of LiFePO₄ using bromine as oxidative agent. For both materials a complete ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer study as a function of the temperature has been carried out. The Debye temperatures are found to be θ_M=336 K for LiFePO₄ and θ_M=359 K for FePO₄, leading to Lamb-Mössbauer factors f_300 K=0.73 and 0.77, respectively. These data will be useful for a precise estimation of the relative amounts of each species in a mixture.     

A new high-pressure phase of LiAlO2

A new high-pressure phase of LiAlO₂ has been recovered through a shock recovery technique at pressures above 9 GPa. This new phase has been refined as a tetragonal structure with lattice parameters of a=0.38866(8) nm and c=0.83001(18) nm. Its calculated density is 3.51 g/cm³, about 34% denser than γ-LiAlO₂. The aluminum and lithium cations in this new phase are six-fold coordinated, as in α-LiAlO₂ and the structure of this new phase is similar to tetragonal LiFeO₂. This new high-pressure phase is stable at temperatures up to 773 K.     

Microwave-assisted selective preparation and characterization of Li21Si5 and Li17Sn4

Two types of intermetallic lithium alloys, Li₂₁Si₅ and Li₁₇Sn₄ (previously Li₂₂Si₅ and Li₂₂Sn₅), were prepared for the first time using microwave-assisted solid-state reaction. The optimum oven power for their preparation is 80-60%, and the irradiation times are 5 min for Li₂₁Si₅ or 10 min for Li₁₇Sn₄. A cheap alumina crucible was found to be the most suitable container in quick (less than 10 min) microwave reactions for Li-containing alloys. The synthesized compounds were characterized by PXRD. Mössbauer spectroscopy was used to characterize Li₁₇Sn₄ under different conditions. The hyperfine interaction parameters of ¹¹⁹Sn in Li₁₇Sn₄ show a typical Li-Sn alloy Sn isomer shift (1.88 mm/s). The oxidization processes of the two intermetallic lithium alloys in air were investigated. The microwave method was found to be simple, fast and efficient, with high selectivity for the preparation of these compounds.     

Electrochemical performance of LiMSnO4 (M=Fe, In) phases with ramsdellite structure as anodes for lithium batteries

LiMSnO₄ (M=Fe, In) compounds were synthesized by high temperature solid-state reaction method and the electrochemical studies were carried out vs. lithium metal. Lithium is reversibly intercalated and deintercalated in LiFeSnO₄ with a constant capacity of ∼90 mAh/g. In situ X-ray diffraction data show that ramsdellite structure is stable for lithium intercalation and deintercalation in LiFeSnO₄. Galvanostatic discharge/charge of LiFeSnO₄ in the voltage window 0.05-2.0 V shows a reversible capacity of ∼100 mAh/g. The observed capacity in LiFeSnO₄ is due to the two processes involving alloying/dealloying of Li_4.4Sn and formation/decomposition of Li₂O. In contrast, the new isotypic oxide LiInSnO₄ does not exhibit any lithium intercalation due to the absence of mixed valence for indium. Its reversible capacity is strongly dependent on the voltage window. LiInSnO₄ exhibits severe capacity fading on cycling in the voltage window 0.05-2.0 V, but shows a stable capacity of ∼90 mAh/g in the voltage range 0.75-2.0 V.     

Synthesis, structure, and ionic conductivity of Na5Li3Ti2S8

The compound Na₅Li₃Ti₂S₈ has been synthesized by the reaction of Ti with a Na/Li/S flux at 723 K. Na₅Li₃Ti₂S₈ crystallizes in a new structure type with four formula units in space group C2/c of the monoclinic system. The structure contains three crystallographically independent Na⁺ cations and two crystallographically independent Li⁺ cations. Na₅Li₃Ti₂S₈ possesses a channel structure that features two-dimensional layers built from Li(1)S₄ and TiS₄ tetrahedra. The layers, which are stacked along c, comprise eight-membered rings and sixteen-membered rings. Na(3)⁺ cations are located between the eight-membered rings and Na(1)⁺, Na(2)⁺, and Li(2)⁺ cations are located between the sixteen-membered rings. These cations are each octahedrally coordinated by six S²⁻ anions. The ionic conductivity σ_T of Na₅Li₃Ti₂S₈ ranges from 8.8×10⁻⁶ S/cm at 303 K to 3.8×10⁻⁴ S/cm at 483 K. The activation energy E_a is 0.40 eV.     

Dependence of the mixed alkali effect on temperature and total alkali oxide content in y[xLi2O·(1−x)Na2O]·(1−y)B2O3 glasses

The complex conductivity spectra of mixed alkali borate glasses of compositions y [xLi₂O·(1−x)Na₂O]·(1−y)B₂O₃ (with x=0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0; y=0.1, 0.2, 0.3) in a frequency range between 10⁻² Hz and 3 MHz and at temperatures ranging from 298 to 573 K have been studied. For each glass composition the conductivities show a transition from the dc values into a dispersive regime where the conductivity is found to increase continuously with frequency, tending towards a linear frequency dependence at sufficiently low temperatures. Mixed alkali effects (MAEs) in the dc conductivity and activation energy are identified and discussed. It has been for the first time found that the strength of the MAE in the logarithm of the dc conductivity linearly increases with the total alkali oxide content, y, and the reciprocal temperature, 1/T.     

Transport properties and lithium insertion study in the p-type semi-conductors AgCuO2 and AgCu0.5Mn0.5O2

The transport properties and lithium insertion mechanism into the first mixed valence silver-copper oxide AgCuO₂ and the B-site mixed magnetic delafossite AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ were investigated by means of four probes DC measurements combined with thermopower measurements and in situ XRD investigations. AgCuO₂ and AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ display p-type conductivity with Seebeck coefficient of Q=+2.46 and +78.83 μV/K and conductivity values of σ=3.2×10⁻¹ and 1.8×10⁻⁴ S/cm, respectively. The high conductivity together with the low Seebeck coefficient of AgCuO₂ is explained as a result of the mixed valence state between Ag and Cu sites. The electrochemically assisted lithium insertion into AgCuO₂ shows a solid solution domain between x=0 and 0.8Li⁺ followed by a plateau nearby 1.7 V (vs. Li⁺/Li) entailing the reduction of silver to silver metal accordingly to a displacement reaction. During the solid solution, a rapid structure amorphization was observed. The delafossite AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ also exhibits Li⁺/Ag⁺ displacement reaction in a comparable potential range than AgCuO₂; however, with a prior narrow solid solution domain and a less rapid amorphization process. AgCuO₂ and AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ provide a discharge gravimetric capacity of 265 and 230 mA h/g above 1.5 V (vs. Li⁺/Li), respectively, with no evidence of a new defined phases.     

Li ion diffusion in Li4Ti5O12 thin film electrode prepared by PVP sol-gel method

Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ thin films for rechargeable lithium batteries were prepared by a sol-gel method with poly(vinylpyrrolidone). Interfacial properties of lithium insertion into Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ thin film were examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiostatic intermittent titration technique (PITT). Redox peaks in CV were very sharp even at a fast scan rate of 50 mV s⁻¹, indicating that Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ thin film had a fast electrochemical response, and that an apparent chemical diffusion coefficient of Li⁺ ion was estimated to be 6.8×10⁻¹¹ cm² s⁻¹ from a dependence of peak current on sweep rates. From EIS, it can be seen that Li⁺ ions become more mobile at 1.55 V vs. Li/Li⁺, corresponding to a two-phase region, and the chemical diffusion coefficients of Li⁺ ion ranged from 10⁻¹⁰ to 10⁻¹² cm² s⁻¹ at various potentials. The chemical diffusion coefficients of Li⁺ ion in Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ were also estimated from PITT. They were in a range of 10⁻¹¹-10⁻¹² cm² s⁻¹.     

High-pressure structure of Li2CO3

The high-pressure behavior of Li₂CO₃ is studied up to 25 GPa with synchrotron angle-dispersive powder X-ray diffraction in diamond anvil cells and synthesis using a multi-anvil apparatus. A new non-quenchable hexagonal polymorph (P6₃/mcm, Z=2) occurs above 10 GPa with carbonate groups in a staggered configuration along the c-axis—a=4.4568(2) Å and c=5.1254(6) Å at 10 GPa. Two columns of face-shared distorted octahedra around the Li atoms are linked through octahedral edges. The oxygen atoms are coordinated to one carbon atom and four lithium atoms to form a distorted square pyramid. Splittings of X-ray reflections for the new polymorph observed above about 22 GPa under non-hydrostatic conditions arise from orthorhombic or monoclinic distortions of the hexagonal lattice. The results of this study are discussed in relation to the structural features found in other Me₂CO₃ carbonates (Me: Na, K, Rb, Cs) at atmospheric conditions.     

Structural and magnetic properties of Nd18Li8Co4−xFexO39−y and Nd18Li8Co4−xTixO39−y

Nd₁₈Li₈Co₃FeO_39−y, Nd₁₈Li₈CoFe₃O_39−y and Nd₁₈Li₈Co₃TiO_39−y have been synthesised and characterised by neutron powder diffraction, magnetometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Their cubic structure (Pm3?n, a∼11.9 Å) is based on intersecting <1 1 1> chains comprised of alternating octahedral and trigonal-prismatic coordination sites. These chains lie within hexagonal-prismatic cavities formed by a Nd-O framework. Each compound has an incomplete oxide sublattice (y∼1), with vacancies located around the octahedral sites that lie at the points of chain intersection. These sites are fully occupied by a disordered arrangement of transition-metal cations but only 75% of the remaining octahedral sites are occupied. The trigonal-prismatic sites are fully occupied by lithium except in the case of Nd₁₈Li₈CoFe₃O_39−y where some iron is present. Antiferromagnetic interactions are present on the Nd sublattice in each composition, but a spin glass forms below 5 K when a high concentration of spins is also present on the octahedral sites.     

Revised phase diagram of Li2MoO4-ZnMoO4 system, crystal structure and crystal growth of lithium zinc molybdate

Orthorhombic lithium zinc molybdate was first chosen and explored as a candidate for double beta decay experiments with ¹⁰⁰Mo. The phase equilibria in the system Li₂MoO₄-ZnMoO₄ were reinvestigated, the intermediate compound Li₂Zn₂(MoO₄)₃ of the α-Cu₃Fe₄(VO₄)₆ (lyonsite) type was found to be nonstoichiometric: Li_2−2xZn_2+x(MoO₄)₃ (0≤x≤0.28) at 600 °C. The eutectic point corresponds to 650 °C and 23 mol% ZnMoO₄, the peritectic point is at 885 °C and 67 mol% ZnMoO₄. Single crystals of the compound were prepared by spontaneous crystallization from the melts and fluxes. In the structures of four Li_2−2xZn_2+x(MoO₄)₃ crystals (x=0; 0.03; 0.21; 0.23), the cationic sites in the face-shared octahedral columns were found to be partially filled and responsible for the compound nonstoichiometry. It was first showed that with increasing the x value and the number of vacancies in M3 site, the average M3-O distance grows and the lithium content in this site decreases almost linearly. Using the low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique, optically homogeneous large crystals of lithium zinc molybdate were grown and their optical, luminescent and scintillating properties were explored.     

A combined X-ray and neutron Rietveld study of the chemically lithiated electrode materials Li2.7V3O8 and Li4.8V3O8

The lithium insertion in the positive electrode material Li_1+αV₃O₈ (α close to 0.1-0.2) includes a phenomenon near 2.6 V (voltage vs. the Li metal electrode), the mechanism being a two-phase process with the transformation from ca. Li_2.9V₃O₈ to ca. Li₄V₃O₈. Near 2.4 V down to 2 V, Li is inserted in a single phase up to ca. Li₅V₃O₈. Chemical Li insertions have been performed in a Li_1.1V₃O₈ precursor prepared at 350 °C and the structures of the products Li_2.7V₃O₈ (before the 2.6 V phenomenon) and Li_4.8V₃O₈ (near the expected maximum) have been studied by a combined Rietveld refinement of X-ray and neutron diffraction data. The structure of Li_4.8V₃O₈ is an ordered derivative of the rock-salt type, with all the Li and V ions in slightly distorted octahedral sites. Li_2.7V₃O₈ has a poor crystallization state and, although the expected V₃O₈ layers are obtained, only a part of the Li sites have been reliably determined. Between adjacent V₃O₈ layers, several unidentified sites are likely weakly occupied, thus giving a markedly disordered character for the structure of the compound formed just before the transition at 2.6 V. The atomic shifts at the transition are briefly discussed.     

From a 3D protonic conductor VO(H2PO4)2 to a 2D cationic conductor Li4VO(PO4)2 through lithium exchange

A new phase, Li₄VO(PO₄)₂ was synthesized by a lithium ion exchange reaction from protonic phase, VO(H₂PO₄)₂. The structure was determined from neutron and synchrotron powder diffraction data. The exchange of lithium causes a stress, leading to a change in the dimensionality of the structure from 3D to 2D by the displacement of oxygen atoms. Thus, Li₄VO(PO₄)₂ crystallizes in P4/n space group with lattice parameters a=8.8204(1) Å and c=8.7614(2) Å. It consists of double layers [V₂P₄O₁₈]_∞ formed by successive chains of VO₆ octahedra and VO₅ pyramids with isolated PO₄ tetrahedra. The lithium ions located in between the layers promote mobility. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity of 10⁻⁴ S/cm at 550 °C for Li₄VO(PO₄)₂ confirms the mobility of lithium ions in the layers. On the other hand, VO(H₂PO₄)₂ exhibits a conductivity of 10⁻⁴ S/cm at room temperature due to the presence of protons in tunnels.     

Synthesis, structure and properties of Li2Rh3B2

Li₂Rh₃B₂ has been synthesized at 1000 °C from a stoichiometric mix of rhodium and boron and an excess of lithium. Li₂Rh₃B₂ crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbam (no. 55, Z=2) with room temperature lattice constants a=5.7712(1) Å, b=9.4377(2) Å, c=2.8301(1) Å and cell volume 154.149(6) Å³. The structure was solved from single crystal X-ray diffraction yielding the final R indices (all data) R1=2.8% and wR2=4.7%. The structure is a distortion of the CeCo₃B₂ structure type, containing a network of Rh₆B trigonal prisms and short Li-Li contacts of 2.28(2) Å. Li₂Rh₃B₂ is a diamagnetic metal with a room temperature resistivity of 19 μΩ cm, as determined by magnetic susceptibility and single crystal transport measurements. The measured diamagnetism and electronic structure calculations show that Li₂Rh₃B₂ contains rhodium in a d¹⁰ configuration.     

Magnetic and thermoelectric properties of layered LixNayCoO2

The magnetic, thermoelectric, and structural properties of Li_xNa_yCoO₂, prepared by intercalation and deintercalation chemistry from the thermodynamically stable phase Li_0.41Na_0.31CoO₂, which has an alternating Li/Na sequence along the c-axis, are reported. For the high Li-Na content phases Li_0.41Na_0.31CoO₂ and Li_0.40Na_0.43CoO₂, a sudden increase in susceptibility is seen below 50 K, whereas for Li_0.21Na_0.14CoO₂ an antiferromagnetic-like transition is seen at 10 K, in spite of a change from dominantly antiferromagnetic to dominantly ferromagnetic interactions with decreasing alkali content. The Curie constant decreases linearly with decreasing alkali content, at the same time the temperature-independent contribution to the susceptibility increases, indicating that as the Co becomes more oxidized the electronic states become more delocalized. Consistent with this observation, the low alkali containing phases have metallic-like resistivities. The 300 K thermopowers fall between 30 μV/K (x+y=0.31) and 150 μV/K (x+y=0.83).