The influence of TiO₂ polymorph, mechanical milling and subsequent sintering on the formation of Ti-substituted spinel-related Li _0.5Fe_2.5O₄

Single-phased spinel-related titanium-substituted Li_0.5Fe _2.5O₄ has been synthesized by sintering in air a mechanically pre-milled mixture of lithium carbonate, corundum-related iron (III) oxide and the rutile polymorph of titanium (IV) oxide at 700 °C (12 h). This temperature is ca. 450-500 °C less than the temperatures at which the material is normally prepared by conventional ceramic techniques. On replacing the rutile polymorph of titanium (IV) oxide in the pre-milled mixture by the anatase form the formation of single-phased titanium-substituted Li _0.5Fe_2.5O₄ was not achieved even after sintering the mixture at 1,000 °C (12 h).