Synthesis and structural analysis of lithium nickel vanadate

The compound LixNiVO4 (x = 0.8; 1.0; 1.2) has been prepared by a solid state reaction method at 800 deg. C. The X-ray diffraction pattern of Li1.2NiVO4 shows the absence of the (1 1 1) line, indicating the occupation of more vanadium ions on the tetrahedrally coordinated interstices. The averaged size of the particles and the grain size have been found to be around 2-10 μm. The grain interior and grain boundary resistance values are found to be 4.08 x 105 and 1.45 x 106 Ω cm-1 at 573 K. The formal activation energy, describing the temperature dependence of conductivity of Li0.8NiVO4, was found to be 0.64 eV