Synthesis of Nanostructured Li4Ti5O12 Powder by the Glycine–Nitrate Process and a Modified Glycine–Nitrate Process

— We have studied the influence of the glycine : nitrate ( G / N ) ratio and heat treatment temperature on characteristics of nanocrystalline Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 powders synthesized from titanium tetrabutylate and lithium carbonate via combustion of an aqueous–organic precursor, followed by heat treatment. At the optimum reactant ratio G / N = 0.7, the content of the Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 phase after heat treatment of the powders for 2 h at 700°C is 97% and the crystallite size is 100 nm. It has been shown that modifying the glycine–nitrate process by adding citric acid to solution (CitH 3 /ΣM = 0.37–0.56) allows one to improve the homogeneity of the components in the precursor, thus ensuring the preparation of single-phase powders.