Low temperature synthesis of layered NaxCoO2 and KxCoO2 from NaOH/KOH fluxes and their ion exchange properties

We report a low temperature synthesis of layered Na0,20CoO2 and K0,44CoO2 phases from NaOH and KOH fluxes at 400C. These layered oxides are employed to prepare hexagonal HCoO2, LixCoO2 and Delafossite AgCoO2 phases by ion exchange method. The resulting oxides were characterised by powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM and EDX analysis. Final compositions of all these oxides are obtained from chemical analysis of elements present.Na0,20CoO2 oxide exhibits insulating to metal like behaviour, whereas AgCoO2 is semiconducting.