Iron and lithium-iron alkyl phosphates as nanostructured material for rechargeable batteries

Inorganic/organic hybrid materials composed by iron atoms bonded to an alkyl phosphate can be easily synthesized by mixing at 110 °C iron chlorides with tri-alkyl phosphates. Since structural information on these products are lacking and taking into account that lithium/iron organic hybrid materials are important in lithium ion battery technology we report here the physico-chemical characterization of different hybrid lithium/iron butylphosphates. These materials are characterized by the presence of elongated hexagonal crystals stable up to 315 °C. The insertion of lithium does not affect the local structure. Thanks to such structures the material can be electrochemically-cycled and Li ions can find facilitated pathways for travel and redox reactions.