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 Bond
Chemical 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
• Odorless
•Melting point : 605 °C
•Boiling point : 1382 °C
•Molar mass:42.394g/mol
•Density: 2.068 g/ cm3
•Solubility :highly soluble in alcohol and water
(Solubility in 20 °C water :83.2 g/100 mL )
•Electrical conductivity: High due to its
ionic structure in solution form
•Refractive index (nD) 1.662
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.
• 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 flame colorant and laboratory reagent.
• Used as a desiccant for drying air streams
• Used as a relative humidity standard in the calibration of hygrometers.
• Used as a brazing flux for aluminium in automobile parts.
Hygrometers
Stille reaction
RNA
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 handling
 Observe 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