Synthesis of nanostructured LiTi2(PO4)3 powder by a Pechini-type polymerizable complex method

The nanostructured NASICON-type LiTi2(PO4)3 (LTP) material has been synthesized by Pechini-type polymerizable complex method. The use of water-soluble ammonium citratoperoxotitanate (IV) metal complex instead of alkoxides as precursor allows to prepare monophase material. Thermal analyses have been carried out on the powder precursor to check the weight loss and synthesis temperature. X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRD) has been performed on the LTP powder obtained after heating the powder precursor over a temperature range from 550 to 1050 °C for 2 h. By varying the molar ratio of citric acid to metal ion (CA/Ti) and citric acid to ethylene glycol (CA/EG), the grain size of the LTP powder could be modified. The formation of small and well-crystalline grains, in the order of 50–125 nm in size, has been determined from the XRD patterns and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy.

Graphical abstractXRD patterns of the powder precursor with CA/Ti=1 and EG/CA=1, after heat-treatment at different temperatures for 2 h.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide