MAS NMR Study of the Metastable Solid Solutions Found in the LiFePO4/FePO4 System

Li and 3IP NMR experiments were conducted on a series of single- or two-phase samples in the LiFePCvFePCM system with different overall lithium contents, and containing the two end-members and/or two metastable solid solution hases, Lio.6FeP04 or Lio.34FeP04. These experiments were carried out at different temperatures in order to search for vacancy/charge ordering and ion/electron mobility in the metastable phases. Evidence for Li+-Fe2+ interactions was bserved for both Lio.6FeP04 and Lio.34FePC>4. The strength of this interaction leads to the formation of LiFePCvlike clusters in the latter, as shown by the room temperature data. Different motional processes are proposed to exist as the temperature is increased and various scenarios are discussed. While concerted lithium-electron hopping and/or correlations explains the data below 125C, evidence for some uncorrelated motion is found at higher temperatures, together with the onset of phase mixing.