EFFECT OF ATTRITION MILLING ON LITHIUM-ION CONDUCTORS

Abstract

Lithium lanthanum titanate Li_0.33La_0.56TiO₃ with a perov-skite structure and Li_1.3Al_0.3Ti_1.7(PO₄)₃ with a NASICON struc-ture are promising solid lithium–ion conductors. Attrition milling is carried out to alter the particle size and a solid-state reaction method is used to prepare the pellets. The mean volume of Li_1.3Al_0.3Ti_1.7(PO₄)₃ and Li_0.33La_0.56TiO₃ tends to in-crease and to decrease, respectively, with increasing attrition milling time, which is due to the different hardness of the starting materials used. When pressed into pellets, the powders with smaller variation in the particle size possess denser packing and, therefore, higher conductivity. The conductivities of lithium–conductors are in strong correlation with the size of the starting powders and the density of the pellets.