Electrical conductivity of lithium borohydride (LiBH4) jumped by three orders of magnitude due to structural transition from orthorhombic to hexagonal at 388 K. The electrical conductivity in the hexagonal phase (in the order of 10-3 Scm-1) is due to Li super-ionic conduction. This study, collaborated with Assoc. Profs. H. Takamura and H. Maekawa (Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University), will lead to the developments of advanced solid-state electrolytes for high-safety lithium ion battery. The result was published in Applied Physics Letters (91, 224103, 2007), and reported in Nikkei BP (online), Nikkan-Kougyo Shimbun, Kahoku Shimpo (November 30, 2007) and Nikkei-Sangyo Shimbun (December 7, 2007).
Temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of LiBH4.
The inset shows the DSC profiles showing the reversible structural transition.