Li+ Ion Conductors with Adamantane-Type Nitridophosphate Anions β-Li10 P4 N10 and Li13 P4 N10 X3 with X=Cl, Br

Chemistry. 2018 Jan 2;24(1):196-205. doi: 10.1002/chem.201704305. Epub 2017 Dec 4.

Abstract

β-Li10 P4 N10 and Li13 P4 N10 X3 with X=Cl, Br have been synthesized from mixtures of P3 N5 , Li3 N, LiX, LiPN2 , and Li7 PN4 at temperatures below 850 °C. β-Li10 P4 N10 is the low-temperature polymorph of α-Li10 P4 N10 and crystallizes in the trigonal space group R3. It is made up of non-condensed [P4 N10 ]10- T2 supertetrahedra, which are arranged in sphalerite-analogous packing. Li13 P4 N10 X3 (X=Cl, Br) crystallizes in the cubic space group Fm3‾m . Both isomorphic compounds comprise adamantane-type [P4 N10 ]10- , Li+ ions, and halides, which form octahedra. These octahedra build up a face-centered cubic packing, whose tetrahedral voids are occupied by the [P4 N10 ]10- ions. The crystal structures have been elucidated from X-ray powder diffraction data and corroborated by EDX measurements, solid-state NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy. Furthermore, we have examined the phase transition between α- and β-Li10 P4 N10 . To confirm the ionic character, the migration pathways of the Li+ ions have been evaluated and the ion conductivity and its temperature dependence have been determined by impedance spectroscopy. XPS measurements have been carried out to analyze the stability with respect to Li metal.

Keywords: conducting materials; lithium; main group elements; nitrides; solid-state structures.