Fast lithium ion diffusion in the ternary layered nitridometalate LiNiN

The structure, Li+ diffusion dynamics, and magnetic properties of the layered nitridonickelate(II), LiNiN, have been investigated by powder X-ray diffraction, 7Li solid-state NMR, and SQUID magnetometry and compared and contrasted with those of the Li+ fast ion conductor, Li3N. The replacement of Li+ by Ni2+ with concomitant generation of Li+ vacancies has profound effects on ionic diffusion and electronic properties. The nitridonickelate, akin to its binary parent, displays rapid Li+ ion diffusion but, by contrast, the diffusion process is confined only to the Li−N planes. Further, replacement of Li by Ni leads to a transition from semiconducting to metallic behavior, likely mediated through the creation of infinite, 1D Ni−N chains of increased covalency.