Metal-containing compounds

1. A process for the preparation of a metal-containing compound comprising the steps of:

a) forming a mixture comprising:

i) elemental phosphorus; and

ii) one or more metal-containing precursor compounds, wherein the metal in each metal-containing precursor compound has an initial average oxidation state; and

b) heating the mixture to a temperature of at least 300° C. to give a reaction product;

wherein the one or more metal-containing precursor compounds comprise one or more metals selected from transition metals, non-transition metals and metalloids; wherein the initial average oxidation state of the one or more metals in the metal-containing precursor compounds is reduced during the reaction process;

wherein at least a portion of the elemental phosphorous is oxidized and incorporated into the metal containing compound at an oxidation state higher than the oxidation state of elemental phosphorous; and

further wherein the heating step b) is performed in the absence of a solvent, except optionally water.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the mixture further comprises one or more alkali metal-containing precursor compounds.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing compound has the formula:

A a M b (X c Y d ) e Z f

wherein:

A is an alkali metal selected from one or more of lithium, sodium and potassium;

M comprises one or more metals selected from transition metals, non-transition metals, and metalloids;

(X c Y d ) e is at least one first anion; and

Z is at least one second anion

wherein a ≥0; b >0; c >0; d ≥0; e >0 and f ≥0;

wherein a, b, c, d, e and f are chosen to maintain electroneutrality.

4. The process according to claim 3 wherein M is a metal selected from one or more of titanium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, hafnium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, osmium, cobalt, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, aluminium, scandium, yttrium, zirconium, technetium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, mercury, gallium, indium, tin, lead, bismuth, magnesium, calcium, beryllium, strontium and barium, boron, silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony and tellurium.

5. The process according to claim 3 wherein X comprises one or more elements selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, arsenic, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, manganese, aluminium, selenium, boron, oxygen, carbon, silicon, phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur, fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.

6. The process according to claim 3 wherein Y is selected from one or more halides, sulfur-containing groups, oxygen-containing groups and mixtures thereof.

7. The process according to claim 3 wherein Z is selected from one or more halides, hydroxide-containing groups and mixtures thereof.

8. The process according to claim 3 wherein X comprises phosphorus.

9. The process according to claim 8 wherein (X c Y d ) e is a PO 4 and/or P 2 O 7 moiety.

10. The process according to claim 3 wherein X comprises sulfur.

11. The process according to claim 10 wherein (X c Y d ) e is a SO 4 moiety.

12. The process according to claim 3 wherein when a=0, (X c Y d ) e is not a phosphide group.

13. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the metal-containing compound is selected from one or more of the group consisting of LiFePO 4 , LiMnPO 4 , LiCoPO 4 , LiNiPO 4 , NaFePO 4 , NaMnPO 4 , NaCoPO 4 , NaNiPO 4 , LiMn 0.5 Fe 0.2 Mg 0.3 PO 4 , Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , Na 4 Fe 3 (PO 4 ) 2 P 2 O 7 , Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 , LiMn 0.5 Fe 0.5 PO 4 , Na 7 V 4 (P 2 O 7 ) 4 PO 4 , Na 7 V 3 (P 2 O 7 ) 4 , Na 2 Fe(SO 4 ) 2 , NaVPO 4 F, LiVPO 4 F, Na 3 V(PO 4 ) 2 , Li 3 V(PO 4 ) 2 , NaVOPO 4 , LiVOPO 4 , LiV 2 O 5 , NaV 2 O 5 , NaVO 2 , VPO 4 , MoP 2 O 7 , MoOPO 4 , Fe 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , Na 8−2x Fe 4+x (P 2 O 7 ) 4 , Na 8−2x Mn 4+x (P 2 O 7 ) 4 , Na 2 MnP 2 O 7 , Na 2 FeP 2 O 7 , Na 2 CoP 2 O 7 , Na 4 Mn 3 (PO 4 ) 2 P 2 O 7 , Na 4 Co 3 (PO 4 ) 2 P 2 O 7 , Na 4 Ni 3 (PO 4 ) 2 P 2 O 7 , NaFeSO 4 F, LiFeSO 4 F, NaMnSO 4 F, LiMnSO 4 F, Na 2 Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , Li 2 Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , Li 2 Fe(SO 4 ) 2 , Na 2 FePO 4 F, Na 2 MnPO 4 F, Na 2 CoPO 4 F and Na 2 NiPO 4 F.

14. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the metal-containing compound has the formula: LiMPO 4 , where M is a metal selected from one or more of manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, magnesium and calcium.

15. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the metal-containing compound is selected from one or more of Fe 2 O 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , FePO 4 .xH 2 O, FePO 4 , Fe 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , FeSO 4 .xH 2 O, Fe(NO 3 ) 3 , Fe(CH 3 CO 2 ) 2 , C 6 H 8 O 7 xFe 3+ .yNH 3 (ammonium iron (III) citrate), C 6 H 5 FeO 7 (iron (III) citrate) and Fe(C 5 H 7 O 2 ) 3 (iron (III) 2,4-petanedionate).

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture further comprises one or more conductive materials.

17. The process according to claim 3 wherein at least one conductive material is formed in situ during the heating step.

18. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the mixture further comprises one or more compounds selected from LiH 2 PO 4 , Li 2 CO 3 , Li 2 HPO 4 , LiOH, LiOH.H 2 O, H 3 PO 4 , (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 and (NH 4 )H 2 PO 4 .

19. The process according to claim 1 wherein step b) is conducted under an atmosphere comprising a partial pressure of oxygen.

20. The process according to claim 1 wherein the elemental phosphorus comprises red phosphorus.

21. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one conductive material comprises one or more of a transition metal phosphide, a non-transition metal phosphide, or metalloid phosphide.

22. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction product comprises LiFePO 4 and at least one conductive phosphide-containing compounds.