Thermal conversion to form LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ: Influence of precursors and supporting carbon template materials

• LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ.
• Hard template.
• Mesoporous carbon (CMK-8).
• Metal nitrates.
• Thermal conversion.

In this study, the formation of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ via thermal conversion of metal nitrates is examined in detail. Furthermore, the nanocasting process and the resulting products of mesoporous LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ are studied and the influence of the template material CMK-8 carbon on the formation process of the oxide is investigated. It was figured out, that the decomposition process of the metal oxide precursors and hence the formation process of pure LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ is strongly affected by the interplay of the different metal nitrates. A significant shift of the decomposition temperatures of the metal nitrates recording to catalytic effects of the intermediate states was observed. Regarding the formation of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ supported by a carbon matrix (CMK-8 and ‘bulk-CMK’), a decrease of the formation and crystallization temperature of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ could be determined by XRD investigations. In addition to that, further catalytic accelerations of the decomposition of the precursors and the carbon matrix itself were figured out by applying a mesoporous carbon matrix (CMK-8) these effects were further enhanced.