Synthesis of LiV3O8 by sol-gel method and its cathodical discharge behavior at 500°C

Compound LiV3O8 has been synthseised by citric acid sol-gel process and it's discharge behavior has also been investigated as a kind of cathode materials for thermal battery. The particles, obtained from dry-gel baked at 210°C, are porous and can be turned to crystalline state at 300°C. Li0.3V2O5 and LiV2O5 phases that appear at the lower temperature can be changed to LiV3O8 after exposed at 650°C for a long time. Discharge tests at 500°C by simulating Li-B/LiCl-KCl/LiV3O8 (or V2O5) thermal cells, show that LiV3O8 discharges more steadily than that of V2O5 because of having better electron-conductibility and lower diffusion-polarizability for lithium ion, and that the usable specific capacities for LiV3O8, corresponding to 75% of peak-voltage of 2.0 V, are not lower than that for V2O5, even with a reduced peak-voltage. Addition of 8% of P2O5 to LiV3O8 can increase its discharge voltage at lower current density.