Lithium ion conduction in Li5A104, Li5GaO4 and Li6ZnO4

Polycrystalline samples of Li5Al04, Li5Ga04, and Li6Zn04 have been synthesized, and their ionic conductivity measured over a range of temperature. These materials, which have the antifluorite structure with large concentrations of intrinsic cation vacancies, have Arrhenius-like conductivities at low temperatures, with a steep rise in the range 385–450°C, reaching very high values, with a very small temperature dependence, thereafter. Materials of this type, which exhibit the highest values of lithium ion conductivity yet found, may have important practical applications in devices such as elevated temperature batteries.