Non-destructive compositional analysis of sol–gel synthesized lithium titanate (Li2TiO3) by particle induced gamma-ray emission and instrumental neutron activation analysis

Optimization of lithium content in LiFePO4 for superior electrochemical performance: the role of impurities

“…Licontent was precisely determined using proton induced gamma emission (PIGE) technique. An in situ current normalized PIGE method has been developed by us, which was used earlier for non-destructive determination of Li-content in Lidoped neodymium di-titanate and lithium titanate ceramics 29,30 and boron in boron-based compounds, including B 4 C. 31 Accordingly, the optimized PIGE method has now been used for determination of Li concentrations in the four LiFePO 4 samples as developed here with varied starting Li-contents (i.e., LiFePO 4 , Li 1.02 FePO 4 , Li 1.05 FePO 4 , Li 1.10 FePO 4 ). As mentioned earlier, this is important because during synthesis Li has a tendency to sublime and also form compounds with Fe (i.e., impurity phases).…”

Development of Particle Induced Gamma-Ray Emission Methods for Nondestructive Determination of Isotopic Composition of Boron and Its Total Concentration in Natural and Enriched Samples

“…In PIGE experiments, sample pellets are made with graphite or cellulose as binder. 31,[34][35][36]39 Though their matrix comprises low Z elements (C for graphite and C, H, and O for cellulose), there are no γ-ray interferences from (p, p′γ) reactions of C and O at a 4 MeV proton beam. 31 Cellulose, used in the present work, was preferred compared to graphite for preparing pellets, as the current was not measured from the target.…”

“…38,39 As absolute current monitoring is not a necessity in the relative method of PIGE, in situ current normalization is an attractive approach. 36 In the in situ current normalization approach, a high sensitivity element such as Li and F is simultaneously mixed with samples in a constant amount for obtaining the current normalized count rate of the gamma-ray of interest. 35 In the cases where samples cannot be mixed with cellulose or graphite as matrix, in situ current normalization can be done by wrapping the sample with a thin Al-foil, which (Al) is equally sensitive as Li or F, as evident from the gamma-ray yield data.…”

“…PIGE, a complementary technique to NAA, XRF, and PIXE, is an isotope specific nuclear analytical technique capable of determining low Z elements (like Li to S or even higher Z ) using a low to medium energy (2–9 MeV) proton beam. − It utilizes measurement of prompt gamma-rays at 429 keV from 10 B­(p, p′γ) 7 Be and/or at 718 keV from 10 B­(p, p′γ) 10 B and at 2125 keV from 11 B­(p, p′γ) 11 B for quantification of 10 B, 11 B, and total B concentrations as well as 10 B/ 11 B atom ratios. The PIGE method has been used for total boron concentrations through 10 B or 11 B determination using mainly 429 and/or 2125 keV γ-rays.…”

“…For thick and conducting samples, the beam current can be measured directly from the target. Whereas for thick and nonconducting targets, a powder sample in pellet form is prepared by mixing graphite powder from which beam current is measured using an electron suppressor. , As absolute current monitoring is not a necessity in the relative method of PIGE, in situ current normalization is an attractive approach . In the in situ current normalization approach, a high sensitivity element such as Li and F is simultaneously mixed with samples in a constant amount for obtaining the current normalized count rate of the gamma-ray of interest .…”