 |
|
|
|
|
Lithium single crystal 3Li6.939
Lithium was discovered in 1817 by J.A. Arfvedson at Stockholm, Sweden. Isolated in 1821 by W.T. Brande.
[Greek: lithos = stone]
French: lithium
German: lithium
Italian: litio
Spanish: litio
|
Description: Lithium is a soft, silvery-white metal that reacts slowly with oxygen and water. It is used in lightweight alloys, especially with aluminium and magnesium, and in greases, batteries, glass, medicine and nuclear bombs.
|
Metal single crystal properties
| State: |
single crystal |
| Crystal structure: |
cubic, bc |
| Production method: |
Czochralski |
| Standard size: |
diameter 5mm
thickness 3mm |
| Orientation: |
(100), (110) and (111) |
| Orientation accuracy: |
<2°, <1°, <0.5° or <0.1° |
| Polishing: |
as cut |
| Purity: |
99.8% |
Further Materials properties
| Crystal structure: |
(cell dimensions/pm), space group
a-Li b.c.c. (a=351.00), Im3m
b-Li f.c.c. (a=437.9), Fm3m
a form stable at room temperature; converts to
b form at low temperatures
|
| X-ray diffractions mass absorption coefficients: |
CuKa 0.716 (µ/r) / cm2g-1
MoKa 0.217 (µ/r) / cm2g-1
|
| Neutron scattering length: |
- 0.190 b/10-12 cm |
| Thermal neutron capture cross-section: |
70.5 sa / barns
|
| Density: |
0.53 g/cm3 |
| Melting point: |
180.54 °C / 453.69 °K |
| Boiling point: |
1346.85 °C / 1620 °K |
| Molar volume: |
13.00 cm3 |
| Thermal conductivity: |
84.7 [300 K] Wm-1K-1 |
| Coefficient of linear thermal expansion: |
56 x 10-6 K-1 |
| Electrical resistivity: |
8.55x10-8 [273 K] Wm |
| Mass magnetic susceptibility: |
+2.56 x 10-8(s) kg-1m3 |
| Young's modulus: |
4.91 GPa |
| Rigidity modulus: |
4.24 GPa |
| Bulk modulus: |
n.a. GPa |
| Poisson's ratio: |
0.36 GPa |
| Radii: |
Li+ 78; atomic 152; covalent 123 |
| Electronegativity: |
0.98 (Pauling); 0.97 (Allred); 3.01 eV (absolute) |
| Effective nuclear charge: |
1.30 (Slater); 1.28 (Clementi); 1.55 (Froese-Fischer) |
| Number of Isotopes (incl. nuclear isomers): |
5 |
| Issotope mass range: |
5 -> 9 |
Biological data
| Biological role: |
none, but lithium acts to stimulate metabolism and can control manic-depressive disorders |
| Toxicity |
|
| Toxic intake: |
20 - 200 g (see under hazards) |
| Lethal intake: |
LD50 (carbonate, oral, rat)=525 mg kg-1 |
| Hazards: |
Lithium is moderately toxic by ingestion but there are wide variations
of tolerance. Even lithium carbonate, which is used in psychiatry, is prescribed
at doses near to the toxic level. Some lithium compounds are carcinogenic and teratogenic.
|
| Level in humans |
|
| Blood: |
0.004 mg dm-3 |
| Bone: |
1.3 p.p.m. |
| Liver: |
0.025 p.p.m. |
| Muscle: |
0.023 p.p.m. |
| Daily dietary intake : |
0.1 - 2 mg |
Total mass of element in average
[70 kg] person: |
7 mg |
Geological data
| Minerals: |
|
| Mineral |
Formula |
Density |
Hardness |
Crystal apperance |
| Amblygonite |
(Li, Na)AlPO4(F, OH) |
3.1 |
5.5 - 6 |
tric., vit./greasy white/grey |
| Lepidolite |
K(Li, Al)3(Si, Al)4O10(F, OH)2 |
2.85 |
2.5 - 3 |
mon., pink/lilac, lamellae |
| Petalite |
LiAlSi4O10 |
2.4 |
6 - 6.5 |
mon., vit./pearly colourless/white |
| Spudomene |
LiAlSi2O6 |
3.2 |
6.5 - 7.5 |
mon., vit. colourless/grey |
| Chief ore: |
petalite, lepidolite
|
| World production: |
39000 tonnes/year |
| Main mining areas: |
USA, lithium is also recovered from brines of Searles Lake in California |
| Reserves: |
7.3 x 106 tonnes |
| Specimen: |
available as chunks, ingots, powder ribbon, rod, shot or wire. CARE !
|
| Abundances |
|
| Sun: |
10 (relative to H = 1 x 1012) |
| Earth's crust: |
20 p.p.m. |
| Seawater: |
0.17 p.p.m. |
| Residence time:: |
2 x 106 years |
| Classification: |
accumulating |
| Oxidation state: |
I |
Other sizes and specifications on request
© 1996 - 2008 MaTecK GmbH - Im Langenbroich 20 - D-52428 Juelich - phone: +49 (0) 2461 / 9352-0 - fax: +49 (0) 2461 / 9352-11 - Contact: info@mateck.de
|
|
|
|
