The effect of gelatin as a chelating agent on the synthesis and characterization of LiMn₂O₄ nanopowders prepared via sol–gel method

In this research, LiMn₂O₄ nanopowders were synthesized by the sol–gel method using gelatin as a chelating agent. Three categories of samples with various weight ratios of gelatin to the final product, 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1, have been synthesized. The produced gel was dried in a controllable oven with a slow slope up to 250 ˚C and calcined at different temperatures. The results show that the amount of gelatin affects the structural properties such as the formation temperature of the spinel structure, the homogeneity of the size distribution and size of the particles. The sample with the weight ratio of 3:1 of gelatin to the final product has a lower temperature for the formation of LiMn₂O₄ with more homogeneity, and smaller particles with the average size of 70 nm, which is calcined at 750 ˚C, while the samples with the weight ratios 2:1 and 1:1 have the average particle sizes of 75 and 89 nm, respectively.