Lithium sulfide is the inorganic compound

Inorganic compound

Inorganic compounds have traditionally been considered to be of inanimate, non-biological origin. In contrast, organic compounds have an explicit biological origin. However, over the past century, the classification of inorganic vs organic compounds has become less important to scientists,...

 with the formula

Chemical formula

A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....

 Li₂S. It crystallizes in the antifluorite motif, described as the salt (Li⁺)₂S^2–. It forms a solid yellow-white deliquescent powder. In air, it easily hydrolyses to release hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of expired eggs perceptible at concentrations as low as 0.00047 parts per million...

 (rotten egg odor).

Preparation

Lithium sulfide is prepared by treating lithium with sulfur. This reaction is conveniently conducted in anhydrous ammonia.

2 Li + S → Li₂S

The THF-soluble triethylborane

Triethylborane

Triethylborane , also called triethylborine and triethylboron, is an organoborane , a near-colorless to yellowish transparent liquid with pungent ether-like odor. Its chemical formula can be written as C6H15B, or 3B, or 3B, or Et3B.Triethylborane is strongly pyrophoric, igniting spontaneously in...

 adduct of lithium sulfide can be generated using superhydride.

Reactions and applications

Lithium sulfide has been considered for use in lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium sulfur battery

The lithium–sulfur battery is a rechargeable galvanic cell with a very high energy density. By virtue of the low atomic weight of lithium and moderate weight of sulfur, Li–S batteries are relatively light; about the density of water. They were demonstrated on the longest and highest-altitude...

.

External links

• Lithium Sulfide