Rj. Gummow et al., A REINVESTIGATION OF THE STRUCTURES OF LITHIUM-COBALT-OXIDES WITH NEUTRON-DIFFRACTION DATA, Materials research bulletin, 28(11), 1993, pp. 1177-1184
The structures of LT-LiCoO2 (synthesised by reaction of Li2CO3 and CoC
O3 at 400-degrees-C) and its delithiated product LT-Li0.4CoO2 have bee
n reinvestigated by neutron powder diffraction. Despite an unusually c
lose similarity between diffraction profiles that makes it difficult t
o determine whether the structures are layered or spinel-like, the dat
a confirm that the preferred structure of the LT-LiCoO2 sample made fo
r this study is one that has a cobalt distribution which is intermedia
te between an ideal layered and an ideal lithiated spinel structure. O
n the other hand, refinement of the data of LT-Li0.4CoO2 prepared by r
eacting LT-LiCoO2 with acid shows, unequivocally, that a spinel-type s
tructure is formed. These structures are discussed in relation to prev
iously reported electrochemical data obtained from Li/LT-LiCoO2 cells.