Issue 29, 2020

New Li–Mg phosphates with a 3D framework: experimental and ab initio calculations

Abstract

Two new lithium–magnesium phosphates LiMg6(PO4)3(P2O7) and Li(Mg5.62Sc0.19Li0.19)(PO4)3(P2O7) were synthesized by a solid-phase method. Using high-resolution time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction (TOF NPD) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), we established that these phosphates have a Pnma orthorhombic structure with the cell parameters a = 9.14664(5) Å, b = 18.83773(8) Å, c = 8.27450(4) Å, and V = 1425.71(1) Å3 and a = 9.14516(5) Å, b = 18.84222(9) Å, c = 8.28204(4) Å, and V = 1427.12(1) Å3, respectively. The crystal structures can be described by stacking of the [Mg6O18] or [Mg5.62Sc0.19Li0.19O18] wavy layers, which are parallel to the (100) direction and interconnected through PO4 tetrahedra and P2O7 groups to form a 3D-framework. The Li atoms are located in large tunnels formed in a 3D lattice, which contributes to lithium diffusion. AC impedance spectroscopy analysis shows that LiMg6(PO4)3(P2O7) and Li(Mg5.62Sc0.19Li0.19)(PO4)3(P2O7) have a Li ion conductivity of 3.6 × 10−4 S cm−1 and 1.7 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 950 °C, with an activation energy of 1.28 eV and 1.55 eV, respectively. NMR MAS studies confirmed the coexistence of pyro- and orthogroups in the structure of both phases and two lithium positions in Li(Mg5.62Sc0.19Li0.19)(PO4)3(P2O7). The first-principles method was used to study the electronic structure and stability of the two phases. The calculated formation enthalpies demonstrated that Sc is a stabilizing impurity in LiMg6(PO4)3(P2O7), while a strong destabilization of olivine LiMgPO4 is observed upon doping with Sc. This explains the failure to synthesize Sc-doped olivine. The new phosphate LiMg6(PO4)3(P2O7) is a dielectric with a band gap of 5.35 eV, which decreases to 4.85 eV due to the appearance of a localized Sc 3d peak upon doping with Sc. These findings are consistent with the results obtained by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The new phase may be a good optical matrix similar to LiMgPO4.

Graphical abstract: New Li–Mg phosphates with a 3D framework: experimental and ab initio calculations

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Jun 2020
Accepted
29 Jun 2020
First published
30 Jun 2020

Dalton Trans., 2020,49, 10069-10083

New Li–Mg phosphates with a 3D framework: experimental and ab initio calculations

D. G. Kellerman, A. P. Tyutyunnik, N. I. Medvedeva, A. Yu. Chufarov, A. D. Fortes, A. S. Gibbs, N. V. Tarakina, M. O. Kalinkin, N. A. Zhuravlev and O. N. Leonidova, Dalton Trans., 2020, 49, 10069 DOI: 10.1039/D0DT01963A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements