Volatile heterometallic single-source precursors with the proper Li:Fe = 1:1 ratio for the target LiFeO2 oxide cathode material will be reported. Among the series of heterometallic precursors LiFeL3, those with small, symmetric substituents on the ligand were found to maintains a 1D polymeric structure in the solid state that limits their volatility and prevents solubility in non-coordinating solvents. Application of unsymmetric ligands (small/bulky substituents) brings about a change in connectivity pattern within heterometallic assembly yielding complexes with tetranuclear heterocyclic structure Li2Fe2L6. DART mass spectrometric investigation confirmed the presence of heterometallic molecules in the gas phase. The retention/disruption of heterometallic structure in solution was investigated by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy using isomorphous diamagnetic magnesium analog. Heterometallic precursors were shown to exhibit clean thermal decomposition in air that results in phase-pure α-modification of layered oxide LiFeO2, the prospective cathode material for lithium ion batteries.

Heterometallic molecular precursors for lithium-iron oxide cathode material

254th National Meeting (2017)

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