%0 Journal Article
%A Wiedemann, Dennis
%A Indris, Sylvio
%A Meven, Martin
%A Pedersen, Björn
%A Boysen, Hans
%A Uecker, Reinhard
%A Heitjans, Paul
%A Lerch, Martin
%T Single-crystal neutron diffraction on γ-LiAlO2: structure determination and estimation of lithium diffusion pathway
%J Zeitschrift für Kristallographie / Crystalline materials
%V 231
%N 3
%@ 2196-7105
%C Berlin
%I De Gruyter
%M FZJ-2016-06272
%P 189–193
%D 2016
%X γ-Lithium aluminum oxide is a paradigmatic example of an ultraslow lithium ion conductor. This characteristic plays a crucial role in its proposed and actual applications. Herein, we report on the outcome of single-crystal neutron diffraction studies at ambient and high temperature. Careful evaluation confirms the commonly assumed room-temperature structure as derived by powder neutron diffraction in 1965. At 1043 K, a split of the lithium position hints at the onset of intrinsic diffusion. Analysis of the negative scattering-length density using the maximum-entropy method (MEM) indicates a preference for a strongly curved diffusion pathway traversing octahedral voids between adjacent lithium sites. These results help to understand ultraslow lithium diffusion in well-ordered ionic solids on the microscopic scale and, ultimately, to establish structure–property relationships.
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000371880500006
%R 10.1515/zkri-2015-1896
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/821015