Room temperature lithium reduction of La2MO4+δ(M=Cu, Ni)

Abstract Room temperature reactions of n -butyllithium with either La 2 NiO 4+ y or the electrochemically oxidized La 2 CuO 4+ x ( x =0.04, 0.08) have been performed. Neutron and X-ray diffraction experiments and magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that the process which takes place in these cases is the reduction of the material by extraction of the interstitial oxygen rather than by the insertion of lithium within the structure.