BULK SYNTHESIS OF SUBMICROMETER POWDERS OF LIMN2O4 FOR SECONDARY LITHIUM BATTERIES

Submicrometre powders of single-phase LiMn2O4 have been synthesized fr om citrate and oxalate precursors using a xerogel method. The product was confirmed by XRD studies and the temperatures of formation were sh own to be <250 degrees C by TG and DTA. SEM studies showed that the av erage grain size of the powders was <0.1 mu m. The reversible lithium insertion behaviour of the product was demonstrated in a coin cell ass embly using 1 mol l(-1) LiClO4 in a 1:1 mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME). The capacity of the cathode remain ed as high as 120 mA h g(-1) at the end of the fortieth cycle.