DOE OSTI2016
Here, we present the pressure-induced phase/chemical changes of lithium peroxide (Li 2 O 2 ) to 63 GPa using diamond anvil cells, confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy, and synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The Raman data show the emergence of the major vibrational peaks associated with O 2 above 30 GPa, indicating the subsequent pressure-induced reversible chemical decomposition (disassociation) in dense Li 2 O 2 . The x-ray diffraction data of Li 2 O 2 , on the other hand, show no dramatic structural change but remain well within a P6 3 /mmc structure to 63 GPa. Nevertheless, the Rietveld refinement indicates a subtle change in the structural order parameter z of the oxygen position O (1/3, 2/3, z) at around 35 GPa, which can be considered as a second-order, isostructural phase transition. The nearest oxygen-oxygen distance collapses from 1.56 Å at ambient condition to 1.48 Å at 63 GPa, resulting in a more ionic character of this layered crystal lattice, 3Li + +(LiO 2 )$3-\atop{3}$. This structural change in turn advocates that Li 2 O 2 decomposes to 2Li and O 2 , further augmented by the densification in specific molar volumes.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗