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by | Dec 30, 2017 | Chickadees

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Lithium oxalate is an organic compound with the chemical formula Li2C2O4. It is a salt of lithium metal and oxalic acid.[3][4] It consists of lithium cations Li+ and oxalate anions C2O2−4. Lithium oxalate is soluble in water and converts to lithium oxide when heated.[5]

Synthesis

One of the methods of synthesis is the reaction of direct neutralization of oxalic acid with lithium hydroxide:

2 LiOH + H2C2O4 → Li2C2O4 + 2 H2O

Properties

The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, cell parameters a = 3.400 Å, b = 5.156 Å, c = 9.055 Å, β = 95.60°, Z = 4.[3]

Lithium oxalate decomposes when heated at 410–500 °C (770–932 °F; 683–773 K):

Li2C2O4 → Li2CO3 + CO

Applications

In pyrotechnics, the compound is used to color the flame red.[6]

References

  1. ^ "553-91-3 | Sigma-Aldrich". Sigma Aldrich. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. ^ "di-Lithium oxalate". Merck Millipore. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b Beagley, B.; Small, R. W. H. (1964-06-10). "The structure of lithium oxalate". Acta Crystallographica. 17 (6): 783–788. doi:10.1107/S0365110X64002079. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. ^ Solchenbach, Sophie; Wetjen, Morten; Pritzl, Daniel; Schwenke, K. Uta; Gasteiger, Hubert A. (2018). "Lithium Oxalate as Capacity and Cycle-Life Enhancer in LNMO/Graphite and LNMO/SiG Full Cells". Journal of the Electrochemical Society. 165 (3): A512–A524. doi:10.1149/2.0611803jes. S2CID 104199908.
  5. ^ "Lithium Oxalate". Millipore-Sigma. Retrieved 10 Feb 2022.
  6. ^ Koch, Ernst-Christian (2009). Is it possible to Obtain a Deep Red Pyrotechnic Flame Based on Lithium?. 36th International Pyrotechnics Seminar. doi:10.13140/2.1.1657.0567. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
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