Low-Temperature Synthesis of Lithium Manganese Oxide Using LiCl-Li2CO3 and Manganese Acetate Eutectic Mixture

Abstract

Fine crystalline LiMn2O4 powders have been prepared by molten salt synthesis (MSS) at 500°C, using an eutectic mixture of lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, and manganese acetate salts. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) measurements are performed to investigate the thermal decomposition behavior of the precursor salts. The single-phase cubic structure of LiMn2O4 is confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction analysis. The lattice parameter is found to be 8.1967 A°. The molecular structure of the compound is studied using FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. The chemical composition and the purity of the synthesized powders are determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), and carbon hydrogen nitrogen sulfur (CHNS) analyses. The magnetic behavior of the compound is examined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The morphology of the powders is assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The average particle size of the powders is ranging between 10–20 µm. This investigation shows that pure crystalline lithium manganese oxide powders can be conveniently synthesized by molten flux method.