Transport properties and lithium insertion study in the p-type semi-conductors AgCuO₂ and AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂

The transport properties and lithium insertion mechanism into the first mixed valence silver-copper oxide AgCuO₂ and the B-site mixed magnetic delafossite AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ were investigated by means of four probes DC measurements combined with thermopower measurements and in situ XRD investigations. AgCuO₂ and AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ display p-type conductivity with Seebeck coefficient of Q=+2.46 and +78.83 μV/K and conductivity values of σ=3.2×10^-1 and 1.8×10^-4 S/cm, respectively. The high conductivity together with the low Seebeck coefficient of AgCuO₂ is explained as a result of the mixed valence state between Ag and Cu sites. The electrochemically assisted lithium insertion into AgCuO₂ shows a solid solution domain between x=0 and 0.8Li⁺ followed by a plateau nearby 1.7 V (vs. Li⁺/Li) entailing the reduction of silver to silver metal accordingly to a displacement reaction. During the solid solution, a rapid structure amorphization was observed. The delafossite AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ also exhibits Li⁺/Ag⁺ displacement reaction in a comparable potential range than AgCuO₂; however, with a prior narrow solid solution domain and a less rapid amorphization process. AgCuO₂ and AgCu_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ provide a discharge gravimetric capacity of 265 and 230 mA h/g above 1.5 V (vs. Li⁺/Li), respectively, with no evidence of a new defined phases.