Polyanionic Frameworks in the Lithium Phosphidogermanates Li2GeP2 and LiGe3P3 – Synthesis, Structure, and Lithium Ion Mobility

Abstract

Recently fast lithium ion conductors were discovered in compounds containing tetrahedral SiP48– and GeP48– units. In the context of material development for all solid state batteries the ternary Li/Ge/P phase system has been further investigated and two new lithium phosphidogermanates were discovered on the lithium poor side of the ternary composition diagram. Li2GeP2 crystallizes in space group I41/acd with unit cell parameters of a = 12.3069(1) Å and c = 19.0306(4) Å, consists of a framework of Ge4P10 supratetrahedra, and exhibits an ionic conductivity of 1.5(3)×10–7 S·cm–1 at 27 °C. LiGe3P3 crystallizes in Pbam with a = 9.8459(5) Å, b = 15.7489(7) Å, and c = 3.5995(2) Å. In LiGe3P3 Ge and P atoms form a two dimensional polyanion. The slabs consist of five- and six-membered heteroatomic rings comprising GeP4 and Ge(P3Ge) tetrahedra including homoatomic Ge–Ge bonds. A semiconducting behavior with an electronic conductivity of ∼10–4 S·cm–1 and a remarkable stability vs. air and moisture is observed.