Rock-salt-type lithium metal sulphides as novel positive-electrode materials.

One way of increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries is to use electrode materials that exhibit high capacities owing to multielectron processes. Here, we report two novel materials, Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4, which were mechanochemically synthesised at room temperature. When used as positive-electrode materials, Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4 charged and discharged with high capacities of 425 mA h g(-1) and 386 mA h g(-1), respectively. These capacities correspond to those resulting from 2.5- and 3.5-electron processes. The average discharge voltage was approximately 2.2 V. It should be possible to prepare a number of high-capacity materials on the basis of the concept used to prepare Li2TiS3 and Li3NbS4.

Synthesis and characterization of the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the new fluorophosphate LiNaCo[PO4]F.

The new compound LiNaCo[PO(4)]F was synthesized by a solid state reaction route, and its crystal structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements. The magnetic properties of LiNaCo[PO(4)]F were characterized by magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and neutron powder diffraction measurements and also by density functional calculations. LiNaCo[PO(4)]F crystallizes with orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma, with a = 10.9334(6), b = 6.2934(11), c = 11.3556(10) Å, and Z = 8. The structure consists of edge-sharing CoO(4)F(2) octahedra forming CoFO(3) chains running along the b axis. These chains are interlinked by PO(4) tetrahedra forming a three-dimensional framework with the tunnels and the cavities filled by the well-ordered sodium and lithium atoms, respectively. The magnetic susceptibility follows the Curie-Weiss behavior above 60 K with θ = -21 K. The specific heat and magnetization measurements show that LiNaCo[PO(4)]F undergoes a three-dimensional magnetic ordering at T(mag) = 10.2(5) K. The neutron powder diffraction measurements at 3 K show that the spins in each CoFO(3) chain along the b-direction are ferromagnetically coupled, while these FM chains are antiferromagnetically coupled along the a-direction but have a noncollinear arrangement along the c-direction. The noncollinear spin arrangement implies the presence of spin conflict along the c-direction. The observed magnetic structures are well explained by the spin exchange constants determined from density functional calculations.

Single crystal X-ray structure study of the Li(2-x)Na(x)Ni[PO4]F system.

The new compounds Li(2-x)Na(x)Ni[PO(4)]F (x = 0.7, 1, and 2) have been synthesized by a solid state reaction route. Their crystal structures were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Li(1.3)Na(0.7)Ni[PO(4)]F crystallizes with the orthorhombic Li(2)Ni[PO(4)]F structure, space group Pnma, a = 10.7874(3), b = 6.2196(5), c = 11.1780(4) Å and Z = 8, LiNaNi[PO(4)]F crystallizes with a monoclinic pseudomerohedrally twinned structure, space group P2(1)/c, a = 6.772(4), b = 11.154(6), c = 5.021(3) Å, ß = 90° and Z = 4, and Na(2)Ni[PO(4)]F crystallizes with a monoclinic twinned structure, space group P2(1)/c, a = 13.4581(8), b = 5.1991(3), c = 13.6978(16) Å, ß = 120.58(1)° and Z = 8. For x = 0.7 and 1, the structures contain NiFO(3) chains made up of edge-sharing NiO(4)F(2) octahedra, whereas for x = 2 the chains are formed of dimer units (face-sharing octahedra) sharing corners. These chains are interlinked by PO(4) tetrahedra forming a 3D framework for x = 0.7 and different Ni[PO(4)]F layers for x = 1 and 2. A sodium/lithium disorder over three atomic positions is observed in Li(1.3)Na(0.7)Ni[PO(4)]F structure, whereas the alkali metal atoms are well ordered in between the layers in the LiNaNi[PO(4)]F and Na(2)Ni[PO(4)]F structures, which makes both compounds of great interest as potential positive electrodes for sodium cells.

Cyclic quaternary ammonium ionic liquids with perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborates: synthesis, characterization, and properties.

New cyclic quaternary ammonium salts, composed of N-alkyl(alkyl ether)-N-methylpyrrolidinium, -oxazolidinium, -piperidinium, or -morpholinium cations (alkyl = nC4H9, alkyl ether = CH3OCH2, CH3OCH2CH2) and a perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate anion ([R(F)BF3]-, R(F) = CF3, C2F5, nC3F7, nC4F9), were synthesized and characterized. Most of these salts are liquids at room temperature. The key properties of these salts--phase transitions, thermal stability, density, viscosity, conductivity, and electrochemical windows--were measured and compared to those of their corresponding [BF4]- and [(CF3SO2)2N]- salts. The structural effect on all the above properties was intensively studied in terms of the identity of the cation and anion, variation of the side chain in the cation (i.e., alkyl versus alkyl ether), and change in the length of the perfluoroalkyl group (R(F)) in the [R(F)BF3]- ion. The reduction of Li+ ions and reoxidation of Li metal took place in pure N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium pentafluoroethyltrifluoroborate as the supporting electrolyte. Such comprehensive studies enhance the knowledge necessary to design and optimize ionic liquids for many applications, including electrolytes. Some of these new salts show desirable properties, including low melting points, high thermal stabilities, low viscosities, high conductivities, and wide electrochemical windows, and may thus be potential candidates for use as electrolytes in high-energy storage devices. In addition, many salts are ionic plastic crystals.

Structure and properties of new ionic liquids based on alkyl- and alkenyltrifluoroborates.

A new series of low-melting, low-viscosity, hydrophilic ionic liquids, which comprise 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ([EMI]+) and alkyl(alkenyl)trifluoroborate anions ([RBF3]-, R=n-C(m)H(2m+1) (m=1-5), CH2CH), were prepared and characterized. The phase-transition behavior, thermal stability, density, viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension of these salts were measured. The influence of the structural variations, such as changing the length and fluorination of the alkyl chain (R) in the anion [RBF3]-, on the above properties was extensively investigated. The low viscosity of these [RBF3]- salts suggests that a high degree of freedom and/or a somewhat flat-shaped feature in the anion make an important contribution to reducing the viscosity. The Walden products for each salt are not constant and vary with temperature, which suggests that the ions in these salts are not completely dissociated.

Low-melting, low-viscous, hydrophobic ionic liquids: aliphatic quaternary ammonium salts with perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborates.

A novel class of low-melting, hydrophobic ionic liquids based on relatively small aliphatic quaternary ammonium cations ([R(1)R(2)R(3)NR](+), wherein R(1), R(2), R(3) = CH(3) or C(2)H(5), R = n-C(3)H(7), n-C(4)H(9), CH(2)CH(2)OCH(3)) and perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate anions ([R(F)BF(3)](-), R(F) = CF(3), C(2)F(5), n-C(3)F(7), n-C(4)F(9)) have been prepared and characterized. The important physicochemical and electrochemical properties of these salts, including melting point, glass transition, viscosity, density, ionic conductivity, thermal and electrochemical stability, have been determined and comparatively studied with those based on the corresponding [BF(4)](-) and [(CF(3)SO(2))(2)N](-) salts. The influence of the structure variation in the quaternary ammonium cation and perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate ([R(F)BF(3)](-)) anion on the above physicochemical properties is discussed. Most of these salts are liquids at 25 degrees C and exhibit low viscosities (58-210 cP at 25 degrees C) and moderate conductivities (1.1-3.8 mS cm(-1)). The electrochemical windows of these salts are much larger than those of the corresponding 1,3-dialkyimidazolium salts. Additionally, a number of [R(F)BF(3)](-) salts exhibit plastic crystal behavior.

Low-melting, low-viscous, hydrophobic ionic liquids: 1-alkyl(alkyl ether)-3-methylimidazolium perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate.

A series of twenty two hydrophobic ionic liquids, 1-alkyl(alkyl ether)-3-methylimidazolium ([C(m)mim]+ or [C(m)O(n)mim]+; where Cm is 1-alkyl, Cm = nCmH(2m+1), m = 1-4 and 6; C(m)O(n) is 1-alkyl ether, C2O1 = CH3OCH2, C3O1 = CH3OCH2CH2, and C5O2 = CH3(OCH2CH2)2) perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate ([RFBF3]-, RF = CF3, C2F5, nC3F7, nC4F9), have been prepared and characterized. Some of the important physicochemical properties of these salts including melting point, glass transition, viscosity, density, ionic conductivity, thermal and electrochemical stability, have been determined and were compared with those of the reported [BF4](-)-based ones. The influence of the structure variation in the imidazolium cation and the perfluoroalkyltrifluoroborate ([RFBF3]-) anion on the above physicochemical properties was discussed. The key features of these new salts are their low melting points (-42 to 35 degrees C) or extremely low glass transition (between -87 and -117 degrees C) without melting, and considerably low viscosities (26-77 cP at 25 degrees C).