Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid/bis(2-ethylhexyl)amine mixtures as solvent media for lithium-ions: A dynamical study

• Lithium ions rotational dynamics is decoupled from that of surfactant molecules.
• Diffusion of lithium ions is surfactant-assisted while its migration under the electric field is decoupled since it happens through jumps among surfactant sites.
• The lithium conductivity values and the observed dynamic features encourage research on surfactant-based liquid binary mixtures for Lithium ion batteries applications.

The self-diffusion coefficient, the spin-lattice relaxation times and ionic conductivity of lithium ions in liquid mixtures composed of bis(2-ethylhexyl)amine (BEEA) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) have been thoroughly investigated as a function of composition and temperature by NMR spectroscopy and conductometry. While the temperature and composition dependence of diffusion coefficients of lithium ions follow the same trend observed for those of the surfactant molecules, the spin-lattice relaxation times of lithium ions and 1H are remarkably different. The observed behavior has been interpreted in terms of lithium ions diffusion occurring through its association with the negatively charged HDEHP species, whereas its rotational dynamics being decoupled from that of surfactant molecules, gives T1 values lower than those of surfactant molecules and characterized by a different temperature dependence.

In HDEHP/BEEA/LiT mixtures lithium ions dynamics is decoupled from that of surfactant molecules.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide