Thesol-gelprocessofcitricacidchelatingwithmetalcationsforthesynthesisofnormalspinelLiMn2O4andthereactionmechanismwereinvestigatedbymeansofXRD,IR,TG-DTA,andSEM.Theresultsshowthatatthebeginninglithiumcitrateandchelatecompoundofcitricacidwithmanganeseionsformed,andthenwithheatingtheesterificationandcondensationreactionsoccuredbetweenthemandglycol.TheproductsobtainedarepolymersinwhichmetalcationsaredistributedhomogeneouslyonatomicscalethatensurehighreactivitytocationsofLi+andMn2+.Firingthegelpreparedbythisprocess,thelatticediffusionsofsolidreactantionscausedbynon-homogeneityofreactantsareeliminatedandavoided.At400℃phase-pureLiMn2O4withnanometerscalecrystallizationhavingprecisestoichiometryandperfectcrystallizationcanbeobtained.Themodelofchelatecoordinateofdouble-moleculebetweencitricacidandMn2+inthegelnetworkisproposed.ItisimportantforexplainingthedispersionstateofMn2+andtheformationprocessofgelbythismodel.
