Making Lithium Chloride

[dubois928]

Will lithium metal stop reacting with water when the solution (lithium hydroxide) becomes super saturated? If not, what is the proper ratio of lithium metal to water to make a lithium hydroxide solution? Would I then evaporate the solution to obtain lithium hydroxide crystals which would be reacted with hydrochloric acid to make a lithium chloride solution which would be evaporated, or would I just mix the lithium hydroxide solution with the hydrochloric acid and then evaporate? What is the proper ratio of lithium hydroxide solution to hydrochloric acid? What is the proper ratio of lithium hydroxide crystals to hydrochloric acid?

 

Or is all of this just in vain and I can just react lithium metal with hydrochloric acid? If so, what is the ratio of lithium metal to hydrochloric acid?

 

Thank you,

Kenneth Anderson

[YT2095]

the ratio is 1:1 by molar mass.

 

also, it`s not wise to add lithium metal directly to an acid, it will get quite hot very quickly and likely explode.

[dubois928]

But do I mix the two solutions or precipitate the lithium hydroxide first and then add it to the HCl?

 

Ken

[thedarkshade]

it`s not wise to add lithium metal directly to an acid, it will get quite hot very quickly and likely explode.

Yeah. The reaction of acids with metals gives H (called explosive gas) and it can very easily turn to fire with an explosion (especially in air with volume 1:2) and the temperatures are quiet hot!

[dubois928]

Yet adding zinc or magnesium to HCl doesn't result in fire/explosion. Or is it the reactivity of the alkali metal that results in such?

 

Ken

[thedarkshade]

Yet adding zinc or magnesium to HCl doesn't result in fire/explosion. Or is it the reactivity of the alkali metal that results in such?

 

Ken

Depends! With the decrease in ionization energy, reactivity increases so it can be! And the "king" is Fr!

 

And yeah, Zn + HCl doesn't result with fire, but it easily can! And with an explosion (that's why H won from this reaction is called explosive gas)!

[YT2095]

But do I mix the two solutions or precipitate the lithium hydroxide first and then add it to the HCl?

 

Ken

 

you can add HCl to LiOH while both are in the liquid state, it will work perfectly

 

if you have any Litmus paper try and aim for a neutral PH, but if it has to be on one side ot the other, be a little on the Acidic side, later heating to dryness will drive off the excess HCl.

[dubois928]

Great! Thanks everyone!

 

Ken