XRD Analysis of LiFeO2 Formation from Li2CO3-Fe2O3 Mechanically Activated Reagents

Abstract

The formation of LiFeO₂ lithium ferrite from unmilled and milled Fe₂O₃-Li₂CO₃ mixture was studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The ball milling was perform via AGO-2S high-energy planetary ball mill at a rotational speed of 2220 rpm for 60 min. Solid-phase synthesis was carried out by conventional laboratory furnace at 600 °C. Using PowderCell 2.4 software, the structural parameters of the reagents and ferrite obtained from these were determined. According to the XRD data, the crystallite sizes of the milled reagents decreased, while the strains increased. It was found that the synthesized ferrite is characterized by multiphase composition consisting of unreacted initial reagents, α-LiFeO₂, γ-LiFeO₂ and α-Li_0.5Fe_2.5O₄ phases, the concentration of which depends on the prehistory of the mixture.