Structural studies of nanosized LiFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 under cycling by in situ synchrotron diffraction

In situ synchrotron diffraction study of phase transformations under cycling of nano-sized phase-homogeneous and carbon-coated LixFe0.5Mn0.5PO4 prepared by mechanochemically assisted carbothermal reduction route demonstrates the occurrence of single-phase reactions in a wide intermediate region upon delithiation and lithiation (0.4 < x < 0.7) and additionally in a whole Fe2 +/Fe3 + region on lithiation (0.7 < x < 1). It is suggested that single-phase reactions in LixFe1-yMnyPO4 stem from size and surface effects and from the character of the Fe/Mn distribution depending on the synthetic method.