7580-67-8 Usage
Description
Lithium hydride is a bluish-white crystalline compound that is highly reactive and flammable in the presence of moisture. It is a powerful reducing agent and a portable source of hydrogen, with the highest hydrogen content of any hydride. Its unique properties make it suitable for various applications across different industries.
Uses
Used in Hydrogen Industry:
Lithium hydride is used as a hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen content. It also serves as a hydrogen source, reacting violently with water to yield hydrogen gas.
Used in Nuclear Industry:
In nuclear reactors, lithium hydride acts as a neutron shield material, protecting from radiation created by nuclear reactions. Additionally, it is used as a fusion fuel in thermonuclear weapons, specifically as lithium-6 deuteride.
Used in Astronomy:
Lithium hydride is utilized as rocket fuel due to its excellent thermal value, making it a suitable choice for space exploration.
Used in Organic Chemistry:
Lithium hydride is used as a raw material for the synthesis of complex metal hydrides. It is also employed in the preparation of other hydrides, amides, and 2H isotopic compounds, serving as a reducing agent.
Used in the Manufacture of Lithium Aluminum Hydride and Silane:
Lithium hydride is used as a key component in the production of lithium aluminum hydride and silane, which are essential chemicals in various industrial processes.
Used for Storing Thermal Energy in Space Power Systems:
Lithium hydride is now being used for storing thermal energy in space power systems, making it a valuable material for space exploration and energy management.
Preparation
Lithium hydride is prepared by heating lithium metal with hydrogen above 440°C. The reaction is exothermic and can be controlled once it is initiated, without external heating. The heat of formation is greater than that of sodium hydride:
2Li + H2 → 2LiH
Reactions
Lithium hydride reacts vigorously with water, forming lithium hydroxide with the evolution of hydrogen:
LiH + H2O → LiOH + H2
The hydride also reacts with ammonia forming lithium amide and evolving hydrogen:
LiH + NH3 → LiNH2 + H2
Lithium hydride is a strong reducing agent and would, therefore, react with compounds that contain oxygen. Even many highly stable oxides of metals and nonmetals can be reduced. It reduces metal oxides to metals and carbon dioxide to carbon:
Fe3O4 + 4LiH → 3Fe + 4NaOH
2LiH + CO2 → Li2O + C + H2O
It undergoes violent reactions with oxidizing agents.
Lithium hydride reacts with aluminum hydride forming lithium aluminum hydride, a powerful reducing agent:
LiH + AlH3 → LiAlH4
Lithium hydride consisting of Li+ and H– ions exhibits properties of an ionic salt, both cationic and anionic; such as a strong electrolyte. Thus, when electrolyzed at temperatures slightly below its melting point, it dissociates to Li+ and Hˉ ions. Hydrogen gas is liberated at the anode.
The hydride ion, H:ˉ being a strong base, would react with alcohols, forming alkoxides and liberating hydrogen:
CH3CH2OH + LiH → CH3CH2OLi + H2
(ethanol) (lithium ethoxide)
(CH3)3COH + LiH → (CH3)3COLi + H2
(tert-butanol) (lithium tert-butoxide)
Air & Water Reactions
Burns readily in air, particularly if powdered. May ignite spontaneously in moist air. Reacts rapidly with water to form caustic lithium hydroxide and hydrogen [Bretherick 1979 p. 107].
Reactivity Profile
Lithium hydride is a strong reducing agent. May decompose violently in contact with most oxidizing materials. Reacts exothermically with water to form caustic lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas; the hydrogen may ignite. May ignite spontaneously in moist air. Mixtures with liquid oxygen are explosive. Ignites on contact with dinitrogen oxide [Mellor, 1967, vol. 8, suppl. 2.2, p. 214].
Health Hazard
The health hazard due to lithium hydride maybe attributed to the following properties: (1)corrosivity of the hydride, (2) its hydrolysisto strongly basic lithium hydroxide, and (3)toxicity of the lithium metal. However, thelatter property, which may arise becauseof the formation of lithium resulting fromthe decomposition of lithium hydride andthe metabolic role of lithium, is not yetestablished.This compound is highly corrosive to skin.Contact with eyes can produce severe irritationand possible injury. It can hydrolyzewith body fluid, forming lithium hydroxide,which is also corrosive to the skin andharmful to the eyes. Animal tests indicatedthat exposure to its dust or vapor at a levelexceeding 10 mg/m3 eroded the body fur andskin, caused severe inflammation of the eyes,and led to the destruction of external nasalseptum (ACGIH 1986). No chronic effectswere observed.
Fire Hazard
In a fire, irritating alkali fumes may form. Lithium hydride can form airborne dust clouds which may explode on contact with flame, heat, or oxidizing materials. Additionally, spontaneous ignition occurs when nitrous oxide and Lithium hydride are mixed. Lithium hydride also forms explosive mixtures with liquid oxygen. Contact with heat, moisture or acid causes exothermic reaction and evolution of hydrogen as well as lithium hydroxide. Incompatible with air and moisture, nitrous oxide, strong oxidizers, and liquid oxygen. Lithium hydride may ignite spontaneously in air and should be maintained and handled out of contact with air and moisture. Any contact with nitrous oxide; airborne powders may ignite upon reaching moisture.
Safety Profile
Poison by inhalation. A
severe eye, skin, and mucous membrane
irritant. Upon contact with moisture, lithium
hydroxide is formed. The LiOH formed is
very caustic and therefore highly toxic,
particularly to lungs and respiratory tract,
skin, and mucous membranes. The powder
ignttes spontaneously in air. The solid can
ignite spontaneously in moist air. Mixtures
of the powder with liquid oxygen are
explosive. Ignttes on contact with dinitrogen oxide, oxygen + moisture. To fight fire, use
special mixtures of dry chemical. See also
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS and
HYDRIDES.
Potential Exposure
Lithium hydride is used in preparation
of lithium aluminum hydride; as a desiccant; it is used in
hydrogen generators and in organic synthesis as a reducing
agent and condensing agent with ketones and acid esters; it
is reportedly used in thermonuclear weapons.
storage
The product should be handled under an inert atmosphere to avoid contamination and a fire. Powdered lithium hydride burns readily when exposed to the air. However, large pieces of the material are less flammable. Lithium hydride, like other strong bases, is harmful to the skin and should be handled with caution.
Shipping
UN1414 Lithium, Hazard Class: 4.3; Labels:
4.3-Dangerous when wet material. UN2805 Lithium
hydride, fused solid, Hazard Class: 4.3; Labels: 4.3-
Dangerous when wet material
Purification Methods
It should be a white powder; otherwise replace it. It darkens rapidly on exposure to air and is decomposed by H2O to give H2 and LiOH, and reacts with lower alcohols. One gram in H2O liberates 2.8L of H2 (could be explosive). [D.nges in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I p 987 1963.]
Incompatibilities
A Strong reducing agent. Incompatible
with oxidizers, halogenated hydrocarbons; acids can cause
fire and explosion. Reacts with water, forming caustic lithium hydroxide and flammable hydrogen gas; reaction may
cause ignition. May ignite spontaneously in moist air and
may reignite after fire is extinguished. Dangerous when
wet. Reacts with water to form hydrogen and lithium
hydroxide. Powdered form and liquid oxygen form an
explosive compound. Decomposes exothermically on contact with acids and upon heating to about 500C, producing
flammable hydrogen gas. Reacts with carboxylic acids,
lower alcohols; chlorine, and ammonia (at 400C), forming
explosive hydrogen gas.
Waste Disposal
Lithium hydride may be
mixed with sand, sprayed with butanol and then with water,
neutralized and flushed to a sewer with water
Check Digit Verification of cas no
The CAS Registry Mumber 7580-67-8 includes 7 digits separated into 3 groups by hyphens. The first part of the number,starting from the left, has 4 digits, 7,5,8 and 0 respectively; the second part has 2 digits, 6 and 7 respectively.
Calculate Digit Verification of CAS Registry Number 7580-67:
(6*7)+(5*5)+(4*8)+(3*0)+(2*6)+(1*7)=118
118 % 10 = 8
So 7580-67-8 is a valid CAS Registry Number.
InChI:InChI=1/Li.H/q+1;-1
7580-67-8Relevant articles and documents
Brieger, M.,Hese, A.,Renn, A.,Sodeik, A.
, p. 465 - 468 (1980)
Preparations and de/re-hydrogenation properties of LixNa3-xAlH6 (x=0.9–1.3) non-stoichiometric compounds
Fan, Xiaolu,Zhang, Yao,Zhu, Yunfeng,Phillips, Cassandra,Guo, Xinli,Chen, Jian,Wang, Zengmei,Li, Liquan
, p. 648 - 654 (2017/09/28)
Mixed alkali alanates LixNa3-xAlH6 have been successfully synthesized by means of grinding mixtures of Li3AlH6 and Na3AlH6 in specific molar ratios. Non-stoichiometric Lix/
Infrared diode laser spectroscopy of lithium hydride
Yamada, Chikashi,Hirota, Eizi
, p. 6702 - 6706 (2007/10/02)
The fundamental and hot bands of the vibration-rotation transitions of 6LiH 7LiH 6LiD and 7LiD were observed by infrared diode laser spectroscopy at Doppler-limited resolution.Lithium hydride molecules were produced by the reaction of the Li vapor with hydrogen at elevated temperatures.Some 40 transitions were observed and, after combined with submillimeter-wave spectra reported by G.M.Plummer et al. , were analyzed to yield Dunham-type constants with accuracies more than an order of magnitude higher than those published in the literature.It was clearly demonstrated that the Born-Oppenheimer approximation did not hold, and some parameters representing the breakdown were evaluated.The Born-Oppenheimer internuclear distance rBOe was derived to be 1.594 914 26 (59) Angstroem, where a new value of Planck's constant recommended by CODATA was employed.The relative intensity of absorption lines was measured to determine the ratio of the permanent dipole moment to its first derivative with respect to the internuclear distance: μe/ere=1.743(86).The pressure broadening parameter Δνp/P was determined to P be 6.40 (22) MHz/Torr by measuring the linewidth dependence on the pressure of hydrogen, which was about four times larger than the value for the dipole-quadrupole interaction estimated by Kiefer and Bushkovitch's theory.