Lithium oxide
Encyclopedia
Lithium oxide or lithia is an inorganic chemical compound
. Lithium oxide is formed along with small amounts of lithium peroxide
when lithium metal is burned in the air and combines with oxygen:
Pure can be produced by the thermal decomposition
of lithium peroxide, at 450°C
, fluorite structure with Li cations substituted for fluoride anions and oxide anions substituted for calcium cations.
The ground state gas phase molecule is linear with a bond length consistent with strong ionic bonding. VSEPR theory
would predict a bent shape similar to .
in ceramic glazes; and creates blues with copper
and pinks with cobalt
. Lithium oxide reacts with water
and steam
, forming lithium hydroxide
and should be isolated from them.
Its usage is also being investigated for non-destructive emission spectroscopy evaluation and degradation monitoring within thermal barrier coating systems. It can be added as a co-dopant with yttria in the zirconia ceramic top coat, without a large decrease in expected service life of the coating. At high heat, lithium oxide emits a very detectable spectral pattern, which increases in intensity along with degradation of the coating. Implementation would allow in situ monitoring of such systems, enabling an efficient means to predict lifetime until failure or necessary maintenance.
A possible new use is as a replacement for lithium cobalt oxide
as the cathode
in the lithium ion batteries
used to power electronic devices from mobile phones to laptop computers to battery-powered cars.
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...
. Lithium oxide is formed along with small amounts of lithium peroxide
Lithium peroxide
Lithium peroxide is the inorganic compound with the formula Li2O2. This solid was deployed to remove CO2 from the atmosphere in the vehicles used in Apollo mission.-Preparation:...
when lithium metal is burned in the air and combines with oxygen:
- 4Li+ → 2.
Pure can be produced by the thermal decomposition
Thermal decomposition
Thermal decomposition, or thermolysis, is a chemical decomposition caused by heat. The decomposition temperature of a substance is the temperature at which the substance chemically decomposes....
of lithium peroxide, at 450°C
- 2 → 2 +
Structure
In the solid state lithium oxide adopts an antifluorite structure which is related to theCalcium fluoride
Calcium fluoride is the inorganic compound with the formula CaF2. This ionic compound of calcium and fluorine occurs naturally as the mineral fluorite . It is the source of most of the world's fluorine. This insoluble solid adopts a cubic structure wherein calcium is coordinated to eight fluoride...
, fluorite structure with Li cations substituted for fluoride anions and oxide anions substituted for calcium cations.
The ground state gas phase molecule is linear with a bond length consistent with strong ionic bonding. VSEPR theory
VSEPR theory
Valence shell electron pair repulsion theory is a model in chemistry used to predict the shape of individual molecules based upon the extent of electron-pair electrostatic repulsion. It is also named Gillespie–Nyholm theory after its two main developers...
would predict a bent shape similar to .
Uses
Lithium oxide is used as a fluxCeramic flux
A ceramic flux functions by promoting glass formation in clay bodies and glazes. Fluxes are used in glazes to lower the high melting point of silica. The most commonly used fluxes in a ceramic glaze are lead, boric, soda, potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, barium, zinc, and strontium...
in ceramic glazes; and creates blues with copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and pinks with cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
. Lithium oxide reacts with water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
, forming lithium hydroxide
Lithium hydroxide
Lithium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula LiOH. It is a white hygroscopic crystalline material. It is soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol...
and should be isolated from them.
Its usage is also being investigated for non-destructive emission spectroscopy evaluation and degradation monitoring within thermal barrier coating systems. It can be added as a co-dopant with yttria in the zirconia ceramic top coat, without a large decrease in expected service life of the coating. At high heat, lithium oxide emits a very detectable spectral pattern, which increases in intensity along with degradation of the coating. Implementation would allow in situ monitoring of such systems, enabling an efficient means to predict lifetime until failure or necessary maintenance.
A possible new use is as a replacement for lithium cobalt oxide
Lithium cobalt oxide
Lithium cobalt oxide is a chemical compound commonly used in the positive electrodes of lithium-ion batteries. The structure of LiCoO2 is known theoretically and has been confirmed with techniques like x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, neutron powder diffraction, and EXAFS: it consists of...
as the cathode
Cathode
A cathode is an electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. Mnemonic: CCD .Cathode polarity is not always negative...
in the lithium ion batteries
Lithium ion battery
A lithium-ion battery is a family of rechargeable battery types in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge, and back when charging. Chemistry, performance, cost, and safety characteristics vary across LIB types...
used to power electronic devices from mobile phones to laptop computers to battery-powered cars.