Lithium intercalation of LiCuTa3O9 and its structural change

Abstract

Chemical lithium intercalation of LiCuTa₃O₉ has been performed by using n-butyllithium. The content of lithium ion in the intercalated compound, Li_1+xCuTa₃O₉, is ca.x= 1.0 per unit formula. The crystal structure of the intercalation compound was determined from the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. The Rietveld refinement confirms that the compound adopts a rhombohedrally distorted perovskite structure [a= 5.4896(8)Å and α= 56.544(8)° with Rc space group]. Li and Cu atoms are statistically distributed over an identical crystallographic site with the atomic ratio of 2:1. The structural change accompanied with the intercalation reaction in this material is discussed.