Ionic liquid assisted solid-state synthesis of lithium iron oxide nanoparticles for rechargeable lithium ion batteries

• Lithium iron oxide can be produced using ionic liquid assisted solid-state synthesis.
• Lithium iron oxide-based anodes display the typical behavior of conversion materials.
• The morphology and particle size of lithium iron oxide have a strong influence on the electrode performance.

The solid-state reaction of iron oxide, lithium carbonate and the ionic liquid 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate leads to the formation of lithium iron oxide (LFO). This synthesis is a simple way to realize particles in a range of 200 nm to 10 μm. Varying the temperature of the solid-state reaction is possible to control the surface and morphology of the LFO particles. The material can be processed in water for the realization of composite anodes suitable for use in lithium ion batteries. The LFO-based anodes, which feature the typical behavior of conversion electrodes, might display high specific capacity and decent cycling stability.