A novel approach to design heterometallic single-source precursors with discrete molecular structure, while maintaining the proper metal:metal ratio for the target complex is reported. The transition from polymeric to molecular structure was achieved by employing asymmetric ligands that exhibit different metal bridging properties at the two ends of the ligand and thus allow one to effectively change the connectivity pattern within the heterometallic assembly. The applicability of the above approach was demonstrated on the family of single-source precursors for industrially important LiCoO2 oxide, the most common cathode material for commercial lithium ion batteries. The newly synthesized precursors are highly volatile, soluble in practically all common solvents, and can be obtained on a large scale with high yield by simple, one-step synthetic procedure that involves cheap, readily available starting reagents. Importantly, they afford the target LiCoO2 cathode material upon thermal decomposition at relatively mild conditions. The prospective precursors have been evaluated from the industrial perspective, by estimating the extra costs imposed by the ligand on the formation of the final material.

Design of heterobimetallic molecular precursors for LiCoO<sub>2</sub> cathode material

247th National Meeting (2014)

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Design of heterobimetallic molecular precursors for LiCoO2 cathode material

Design of heterobimetallic molecular precursors for LiCoO₂ cathode material