Synthesis, characterization and optical band gap of Lithium cathode materials: Li2Ni8O10 and LiMn2O4 nanoparticles

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Li2Ni8O10 and LiMn2O4 Nanoparticles as cathode materials of lithium ion battery, were successfully synthesized using lithium acetate, nickel and manganese acetate as Li, Ni and Mn sources and stearic acid as a complexing reagent. The structure of the obtained products were characterized by FT-IR and XRD. The shape, size and distribution of the Li2Ni8O10 and LiMn2O4 nanoparticles were observed by SEM.Optical band gap and magnetic properties were determined by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). Li2Ni8O10 and LiMn2O4 spinels were identified as the main crystalline phases. The particles size of both, Li2Ni8O10 and LiMn2O4 nanoparticles, is around 24 to 32 nm. Optical band gap of Li2Ni8O10 and LiMn2O4 are 1.40 eV and 1.16 eV, respectively. Therefore, lithium nickel and lithium manganese oxide nanoparticles can be used as a semiconductor materials in electrical devices. VSM curve showed paramagnetic behaviour of LiMn2O4 nanoparticles. Moreover, color parameters were obtained by colorimetric analysis of LiMn2O4 indicating characteristic values of L*=25.820, a*=1.607 and b*= -1.143.