Text Olivine-type LiMnPO4 was synthesized via a citric-acid assisted sol-gel method. The structural evolution of the as-prepared material during calcination and the crystallization of LiMnPO4 was investigated by XRD measurements. A reaction mechanism including two intermediate phases was derived for the synthesis. Furthermore, the electrochemical Li extraction and insertion processes were studied by in situ/ex situ XRD and MAS NMR measurements. The phase transition from LiMnPO4 to MnPO4 and vice versa proceeds via a two-phase mechanism. The 31 P MAS NMR spectra of MnPO4, which forms upon delithiation as confirmed by XRD patterns, shows a very broad signal. Possible explanations for the large width of this signal are given and evaluated.
Introduction TextPhospho-olivines LiMPO4 (M = Fe, Mn, Co, and Ni) were discovered as potential cathode material for lithium-ion batteries 20 years ago. 1 Since then, a lot of effort has been put into this next-generation cathode material, especially LiFePO4 (LFP). 2,3 Among the olivine family, the iron compound emerged into the market and is utilized in power tools and electric vehicles, for example. The attention toward these cathode materials is due to their high thermal safety, long cycle life, environmental sustainability, and potentially low cost. The energy density is related to the redox potential of the transition metal ion. Starting from Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ in LFP (3.4 V vs. Li + /Li) the energy density of the phospho-olivine increases with Mn 3+ /Mn 2+ (4.1 V), Co 3+ /Co 2+ (4.8 V), and Ni 3+ /Ni 2+ (5.1 V). 4 However, only the Fe-and Mn-compounds operate within the stability window of standard electrolytes. Furthermore, note that there are