Lithium
*silvery white metal
*Lightest metal known to man and belongs to the alkali metals
*It is extremely reactive, in particular with oxygen
*Lithium salts colour flames bright red.
*Lithium is a soft silvery white metal
*It is not used for structural applications
*Lithium reacts with water, but not as vigorously as sodium and potassium. For this reason it is usually stored in oil
*Lithium has the highest specific heat of any solid element
*Applications of lithium include:
^Alloying additions in particular for aluminium and magnesium alloys
^Additions for ceramics and glass
^Lubricants and greases
^Rocket propellant
^Batteries
*Lithium has the highest specific heat of any solid element and is used in heat transfer applications
*Lithium hydroxide (LiOH) is used to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of spacecraft.
*Lithium stearate is used as a general purpose and high temperature lubricant.
*Lithium carbonate is used as a drug to treat manic depression disorder.
It is used as a desgasifier and refining agent for molten metals and in the production of copper and its alloys. Also, it acts as a grain refinement agent and increases the fluidity of the molten metals. Due to its lo w atomic mass, lithium compounds are always present in relatively small molecular masses, giving advantages in certain applications, as in the use of lithium hydroxide in the carbon dioxide absorption in submarines and spacecrafts.
The existence of small percentages of lithium oxide in some substances used in ceramic lowers sensibly the respective melting points. Lithium carbonate is used for this effect as well as in the production of special types of glass.
The lithium fluoride is used in the manufacturing of prisms and infrared spectrophotometer and it is used in the production of enamels. The lithium chloride and bromide can be used as drying agents and are also used as lubricants. One of the most important applications of this element is in the reagent preparation for organic synthesis, in particular of the complex hydrides of aluminum and boron, with widespread applications.
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