SOL-GEL SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LITHIUM YTTRIUM OXIDE

Abstract

Lithium yttrium oxide LiYO 2 was synthesized for the first time by a simple citric acid-assisted sol-gel method. Three different molar ratios from low to high concentration of lithium precursor were used. The higher lithium precursor content provided purer LiYO 2 powders, which were obtained by calcining the amorphous powders from the sol-gel process at lower temperature, compared to those synthesized by solid-state reaction. The optimum experimental conditions for sol-gel preparation process is 1:3 and 1:2 molar ratio of [Li(CH 3 COO]•2H 2 O]/[Y(NO 3) 3 •6H 2 O] at 950°C and 1000°C respectively, with 6 hours of holding time. The reaction and synthesis mechanism for LiYO 2 was analyzes and proposed. It was found that the calcination of dried gel generated exothermic reactions and synthesize of LiYO 2 was performed by simple reaction of Li 2 O and Y 2 O 3 .