Combustion Synthesis for Nanometer Spinel Lithium Composite

Spinel phase LiMn2O4 is of great interest as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. We describe here a new combustion method to synthesize LiMn2O4 directly from lithium nitrate, manganese nitrate, ammonium nitrate and glycol. The resultant LiMn2O4 synthesized under the optimum synthesis conditions shows perfect spinel structure and uniform particle size distribution. The combustion products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. And, powders X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the products. Lithium manganate with approximately 100 nm agglomeration morphology and more uniform secondary particles, with smaller primary particles of diameters from 30 to 100 nm and a variety of morphologies were found. It might also provide a cheap large-scale synthesis method. Reagents combustion with the addition of ammonium nitrate is strongly nonequilibrium processes. Free metal atoms are first released with the decomposition of reagents, and then theses metal...