Lithium peroxide
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Other names
Dilithium peroxide, Lithium (I) peroxide
| |
| Identifiers | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.031.585 |
PubChem CID
|
|
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
|
|
| Properties | |
| Li2O2 | |
| Molar mass | 45.881 g/mol |
| Appearance | fine odorless, white powder |
| Density | 1.2063 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 195°C |
| Boiling point | Decomposes to Li2O |
| soluble | |
| Thermochemistry | |
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
-13.82 kJ/g |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
| |
Lithium peroxide is the inorganic compound with the formula Li2O2. This solid was deployed to remove CO2 from the atmosphere in the vehicles used in Apollo mission.
Preparation
It is prepared by the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and lithium hydroxide, which initially produces lithium hydroperoxide:[1]
- LiOH.H2O + H2O2 → LiOOH.H2O + H2O
Dehydration of the hydroperoxide gives the peroxide:
- 2LiOOH.H2O → Li2O2 + H2O2 + 2H2O
It decomposes above 195 °C to give lithium oxide:
- 2Li2O2 → 2Li2O + O2
Uses
It is used in air purifiers where weight is important e.g. spacecraft to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in the reaction[1]:
- 2Li2O2 + 2CO2 → 2Li2CO3 + O2
It absorbs more CO2 than does the same weight of lithium hydroxide and offers the bonus of releasing dioxygen.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1984). Chemistry of the Elements. Oxford: Pergamon Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-08-022057-4.
- ^ Günter Petzow, Fritz Aldinger, Sigurd Jönsson, Peter Welge, Vera van Kampen, Thomas Mensing, Thomas Brüning"Beryllium and Beryllium Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. doi:10.1002/14356007.a04_011.pub2
External links
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