Chemistry Individual Project

Presented by: Edith Lai (13) of F.3A

Compound: Lithium Chloride(LiCl)

Electron diagram of LiCl (showing the outermost shell only)

Type of chemical bonding: Ionic BondChemical Formula: LiCl

Preparation

• Lithium chloride is produced by treatment of lithium carbonate with hydrochloric acid.

Li2CO3 + 2HCl → 2LiCl + CO2 + H2O

Physical Properties of LiCl

•Hygroscopic(吸水 )white crystalline solid

•Molar mass:42.394g/mol•Density: 2.068 g/ cm3

•Melting point : 605 °C•Boiling point : 1382 °C

(Solubility in 20 °C water :83.2 g/100 mL )•Solubility :highly soluble in alcohol and water

•Refractive index (nD) 1.662

• Odorless

•Electrical conductivity: High due to its ionic structure in solution form

Chemical Properties of LiCl

• Stability: Stable under ordinary conditions of use and storage

• Hazardous Decomposition Products: Emits toxic fumes of chlorine when heated to decomposition.

• pH: Aqueous solution of LiCl is neutral or slightly alkaline• It is highly ionized in solution form. (Electronic configuration of Li and Cl: 2,1 and 2,8,7) [They can form ionic compound easily as lithium can donate

1 e- to chlorine in which both of them will obtain stable octet structure.]

Applications of LiCl• Used for the production of lithium metal by electrolysis.

• Used as a brazing flux for aluminium in automobile parts.

• Used as a desiccant for drying air streams

• In more specialized applications, lithium chloride finds some use in organic synthesis (e.g. as an additive in the Stille reaction)• Used to precipitate RNA from cellular extracts in biochemical applications.

• Used as a relative humidity standard in the calibration of hygrometers.

• Used as a flame colorant and laboratory reagent.

Hygrometers

RNAStille reaction

Potential Health Effects 

* LiCl might be harmful if swallowed or inhaled.

* It will affect the:•central

nervous system• respiratory system• muscles and kidneys* It will cause severe irritation( 劇烈過敏 )to skin,

eyes and respiratory tract.• Other symptoms:• slurred speech( 口齒不清 )• blurred vision• heart and brain effects.

Handling and storage of LiCl The following instructions should be followed while

storing and handling LiCl: Keep in a tightly closed container, stored in a cool, dry,

ventilated area.Protect against physical damage.Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing.Wash thoroughly after handlingObserve all warnings and precautions listed for the

product .Containers of this material may be hazardous when

empty since they retain residues (dust, solids).

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_chloride• http:// www.flickr.com • “Compound” by Alex Brown