Solid state synthesis, fast and thermal neutrons irradiations effects, DC-electrical conductivity of La3 +, Zr4 + double doped Nano lithium manganates for applications in Li-ion batteries

Abstract To enhance growing societal and industrial energy demands in an environmentally friendly pathway, will appeal the use of clean energy sources such as wind, nuclear, solar, electric batteries, etc. Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries offer energy conversion and storage devices with long life and high energy density suitable for varied novel applications such as electric and hybrid vehicles. In this work, pristine lithium manganese oxide (LiMn 2 O 4 ) and La 3 + , Zr 4 + double doped Nano lithium manganates (LiMn 2 − 2X La X Zr X O 4 , x = 0.02%, 0.04%] were synthesized by solid state method for rechargeable Li-ion batteries applications. The resulting spinel products were exposed to both fast and thermal neutrons irradiations. The effects of the dopant cations and irradiation process on the structure profile and DC-electrical conductivity of the spinels were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The obtained results denote that the investigated samples can be used as solid detectors for thermo neutrons irradiation. Direct-current (DC) electrical conductivity studies revealed that LiMn 2 O 4 , LiMn 1.96 La 0.02 Zr 0.02 O 4 and LiMn 1.92 La 0.04 Zr 0.04 O 4 Nano spinels are semiconducting and their activation energies decrease with increasing La 3 + and Zr 4 + dopant contents.