Lithium hydroxide (LiOH) is an inorganic compound composed of lithium and hydroxide ions. It is a white crystalline solid that is highly soluble in water and soluble in ethanol. Chemically, it consists of lithium cations (Li+) and hydroxide anions (OH-). The chemical formula is LiOH and the molecular weight is 23.95 g/mol.
In its solid state, it adopts a body-centered cubic crystal structure. Each lithium ion is surrounded by four hydroxide ions in a tetrahedral coordination. The Li-O bond length is 1.96 Å. As a strong base, it readily dissociates in water to form lithium and hydroxide ions. Its saturated aqueous solution has a pH of around 13.
Due to its ionic nature, it has high thermal stability and is non-flammable. Its melting point is 555°C and boiling point is 1325°C. It tends to absorb moisture from air quite readily, thus requiring proper storage. Lithium hydroxide is more thermodynamically stable thanGroup IA hydroxides due to its smaller size and higher charge density.
Production and Manufacturing
It is commercially produced through two main methods - electrolysis of lithium chloride solution or reaction of lithium metal with water or hydrogen peroxide.
In the electrolysis process, an aqueous solution of lithium chloride is electrolyzed between anode and cathode. The chloride ions move to the anode where they are oxidized to chlorine gas. Meanwhile, lithium ions migrate to the cathode where they react with hydroxide ions and water to form its precipitate.
The other common production method involves reaction of lithium metal with water or hydrogen peroxide in a non-oxidizing atmosphere. When lithium reacts directly with water, lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas are generated as products. The reaction with hydrogen peroxide produces it and oxygen gas. This wet chemical process allows synthesis of high-purity, anhydrous hydroxide powder.
After precipitation, the crude lithium hydroxide is purified by recrystallization from water or ethanol solution. High-purity hydroxide powder suitable for industrial use is then obtained by filtration and drying under vacuum.
Applications
Due to its strong caustic properties, it finds numerous applications both in industrial and household products:
- Grease removal: It is used for removing grease and cleaning in soaps, cleaners and detergents due to its high solubility and strong alkalinity. Lithium soaps have enhanced grease-cutting ability.
- Air treatment: Lithium hydroxide is employed as a drying agent to remove moisture, carbon dioxide and acid gases from air or other gases in industrial air dryers and purifiers.
- Flux agent: In metal welding and soldering, it acts as a fluxing agent to remove oxide layers from metal surfaces before joining. This promotes better bonding.
- pH regulation: As a strong base, its solution is used to adjust and maintain pH in various applications like swimming pools, boilers, and chemical processes that require alkaline medium.
- Glass manufacturing: It finds use as an additive in specialty glass formulation for its property-modifying effects like improving durability and thermal endurance.
- Lithium-ion batteries: Lithium hydroxide, in combination with other chemicals, is used to synthesize lithium oxide - a key material in manufacturing cathodes for lithium-ion batteries in various electronics.
- Soil treatment: In agriculture, it helps reduce aluminum toxicity in acidic soils and serves as a micronutrient fertilizer for plants.
Health and Safety Measures
Being a strong base, it is corrosive to skin, eyes as well as mucous membranes if in direct contact. Therefore, protective gear like gloves, goggles must be worn while handling. Inhalation of dust particles can also cause respiratory irritation.
It is non-flammable but contact with acids or oxidizing agents should be avoided as this may generate dangerous gases like hydrogen. Spillages must be neutralized carefully with dilute acid and then wiped clean. Its solutions are also electrically conductive and may short circuit equipment.
Proper ventilation is required when it is used industrially. Workplace exposure limits set by regulatory bodies need to be complied with. Waste disposal should follow hazardous chemical management protocols. Storage containers must be corrosion-resistant, clearly labeled and kept sealed. In case of accidents, it is important to rinse affected areas with water.
Recent Research Trends
With rising demand for lithium batteries and other applications, it continues to attract research interest. Some ongoing areas of study include:
- Developing novel methods to produce it directly from lithium resources like clay at lower costs. Hydrothermal synthesis using lignite as the reductant is one new technique being explored.
- Improving the quality and purity of it through new purification technologies like emulsion liquid membrane extraction.
- Investigating its potential as an additive for high-performance concrete to enhance strength, impermeability and durability.
- Examining lithium hydroxide monohydrate as a solid electrolyte material for all-solid-state lithium batteries with stability and safety benefits.
- Assessing its viability as an electrolyte in lithium–sulfur batteries which could significantly increase the energy density.
- Developing new lithium hydroxide-based formulations for specialized industrial and biomedical applications like pharmaceutical pills, dental cements and tissue engineering scaffolds.
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