Revisited: Decomposition or Melting? Formation Mechanism Investigation of LiCoO2 via In-Situ Time-Resolved X-ray Diffraction

We report the first in-situ time-resolved X-ray diffraction investigation in conjunction with a non-isothermal kinetic study using the model-free isoconversional kinetic method to determine the formation mechanism for the solid-state synthesis of electrochemically active LiCoO(2) from Li(2)CO(3) and Co(3)O(4). Detailed information on the phase evolution as well as thermal events during the heating process was clearly observed, explained, and supported. This investigation provides structural as well as kinetic evidence for a multistep reaction and proposes the first plausible formation mechanism for the solid-state synthesis of LiCoO(2).