Lithium nitrate

Last updated
Lithium nitrate
Lithium nitrate.png
Lithium-nitrate-unit-cell-3D-balls.png
__ Li +__ N __ O
Lithium nitrate.jpg
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.290 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
PubChem CID
RTECS number
  • QU9200000
UNII
  • Key: IIPYXGDZVMZOAP-UHFFFAOYSA-N X mark.svgN
  • InChI=1S/Li.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1
    Key: IIPYXGDZVMZOAP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • InChI=1/Li.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1
    Key: IIPYXGDZVMZOAP-UHFFFAOYAC
  • [Li+].[N+](=O)([O-])[O-]
Properties
LiNO3
Molar mass 68.946 g/mol
AppearanceWhite to light yellow solid
Density 2.38 g/cm3
Melting point 255 °C (491 °F; 528 K)
Boiling point 600 °C (1,112 °F; 873 K) (decomposes)
52.2 g/100 mL (20 °C)
90 g/100 mL (28 °C)
234 g/100 mL (100 °C)
Solubility soluble in ethanol, methanol, pyridine, ammonia, acetone
−62.0·10−6 cm3/mol (+3 H2O)
1.735 [1]
Thermochemistry
64 J/(mol K)
Std molar
entropy
(S298)
105 J/(mol K)
−7.007 kJ/g or −482.3 kJ/mol
−389.5 kJ/mol
25.5 kJ/mol
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards
Oxidant, irritant
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704.svgHealth 1: Exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury. E.g. turpentineFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazard OX: Oxidizer. E.g. potassium perchlorate
1
0
0
OX
Flash point Non-flammable
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
1426 mg/kg (oral, rat)
Related compounds
Other cations
Sodium nitrate
Potassium nitrate
Rubidium nitrate
Caesium nitrate
Related compounds
Lithium sulfate
Lithium chloride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
X mark.svgN  verify  (what is  Yes check.svgYX mark.svgN ?)

Lithium nitrate is an inorganic compound with the formula LiNO3. It is the lithium salt of nitric acid (an alkali metal nitrate). The salt is deliquescent, absorbing water to form the hydrated form, lithium nitrate trihydrate. Its eutectics are of interest for heat transfer fluids. [2]

Contents

It is made by treating lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide with nitric acid.

Uses

This deliquescent colourless salt is an oxidizing agent used in the manufacture of red-colored fireworks and flares.

Thermal storage

The hydrated form, lithium nitrate trihydrate, has an extremely high specific heat of fusion, 287±7 J/g, [3] and hence can be used for thermal energy storage at its melt temperature of 303.3 K. [4]

Lithium nitrate has been proposed as a medium to store heat collected from the sun for cooking. A Fresnel lens would be used to melt solid lithium nitrate, which would then function as a "solar battery", allowing heat to be redistributed later by convection. [5]

Synthesis

Lithium nitrate can be synthesized by reacting nitric acid and lithium carbonate.

Li2CO3 + 2 HNO3 → 2 LiNO3 + H2O + CO2

Generally when forming LiNO3, a pH indicator is used to determine when all of the acid has been neutralized. However, this neutralization can also be recognized with the loss of carbon dioxide production. [6] In order to rid the final product of excess water, the sample is heated.

Toxicity

Lithium nitrate can be toxic to the body when ingested by targeting the central nervous system, thyroids, kidneys, and cardio-vascular system. [7] When exposed to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, lithium nitrate can cause irritation to these areas. [8]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potassium ferrocyanide</span> Chemical compound

Potassium ferrocyanide is the inorganic compound with formula K4[Fe(CN)6]·3H2O. It is the potassium salt of the coordination complex [Fe(CN)6]4−. This salt forms lemon-yellow monoclinic crystals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copper(II) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Copper(II) nitrate describes any member of the family of inorganic compounds with the formula Cu(NO3)2(H2O)x. The hydrates are blue solids. Anhydrous copper nitrate forms blue-green crystals and sublimes in a vacuum at 150-200 °C. Common hydrates are the hemipentahydrate and trihydrate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinitrogen pentoxide</span> Chemical compound

Dinitrogen pentoxide is the chemical compound with the formula N2O5. It is one of the binary nitrogen oxides, a family of compounds that only contain nitrogen and oxygen. It exists as colourless crystals that sublime slightly above room temperature, yielding a colorless gas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lithium chloride</span> Chemical compound

Lithium chloride is a chemical compound with the formula LiCl. The salt is a typical ionic compound (with certain covalent characteristics), although the small size of the Li+ ion gives rise to properties not seen for other alkali metal chlorides, such as extraordinary solubility in polar solvents (83.05 g/100 mL of water at 20 °C) and its hygroscopic properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium acetate</span> Chemical compound

Sodium acetate, CH3COONa, also abbreviated NaOAc, is the sodium salt of acetic acid. This colorless deliquescent salt has a wide range of uses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zinc nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Zinc nitrate is an inorganic chemical compound with the formula Zn(NO3)2. This colorless, crystalline salt is highly deliquescent. It is typically encountered as a hexahydrate Zn(NO3)2·6H2O. It is soluble in both water and alcohol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron(III) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Iron(III) nitrate, or ferric nitrate, is the name used for a series of inorganic compounds with the formula Fe(NO3)3.(H2O)n. Most common is the nonahydrate Fe(NO3)3.(H2O)9. The hydrates are all pale colored, water-soluble paramagnetic salts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobalt(II) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Cobalt nitrate is the inorganic compound with the formula Co(NO3)2.xH2O. It is cobalt(II)'s salt. The most common form is the hexahydrate Co(NO3)2·6H2O, which is a red-brown deliquescent salt that is soluble in water and other polar solvents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chromium(III) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Chromium(III) nitrate describes several inorganic compounds consisting of chromium, nitrate and varying amounts of water. Most common is the dark violet hygroscopic solid. An anhydrous green form is also known. Chromium(III) nitrate compounds are of a limited commercial importance, finding some applications in the dyeing industry. It is common in academic laboratories for the synthesis of chromium coordination complexes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury(I) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Mercury(I) nitrate is an inorganic compound, a salt of mercury and nitric acid with the formula Hg2(NO3)2. A yellow solid, the compound is used as a precursor to other Hg22+ complexes. The structure of the hydrate has been determined by X-ray crystallography. It consists of a [H2O-Hg-Hg-OH2]2+ center, with a Hg-Hg distance of 254 pm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerium nitrates</span> Chemical compound

Cerium nitrate refers to a family of nitrates of cerium in the +3 or +4 oxidation state. Often these compounds contain water, hydroxide, or hydronium ions in addition to cerium and nitrate. Double nitrates of cerium also exist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zirconium nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Zirconium nitrate is a volatile anhydrous transition metal nitrate salt of zirconium with formula Zr(NO3)4. It has alternate names of zirconium tetranitrate, or zirconium(IV) nitrate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorium(IV) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Thorium(IV) nitrate is a chemical compound, a salt of thorium and nitric acid with the formula Th(NO3)4. A white solid in its anhydrous form, it can form tetra- and pentahydrates. As a salt of thorium it is weakly radioactive.

Indium(III) nitrate is a nitrate salt of indium which forms various hydrates. Only the pentahydrate has been crystallographically verified. Other hydrates are also reported in literature, such as the trihydrate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitratoauric acid</span> Chemical compound

Nitratoauric acid, hydrogen tetranitratoaurate, or simply called gold(III) nitrate is a crystalline gold compound that forms the trihydrate, HAu(NO3)4·3H2O or more correctly H5O2Au(NO3)4·H2O. This compound is an intermediate in the process of extracting gold. In older literature it is also known as aurinitric acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron(II) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Iron(II) nitrate is the nitrate salt of iron(II). It is commonly encountered as the green hexahydrate, Fe(NO3)2·6H2O, which is a metal aquo complex, however it is not commercially available unlike iron(III) nitrate due to its instability to air. The salt is soluble in water serves as a ready source of ferrous ions.

Rhodium(III) nitrate is a inorganic compound, a salt of rhodium and nitric acid with the formula Rh(NO3)3. This anhydrous complex has been the subject of theoretical analysis but has not been isolated. However, a dihydrate and an aqueous solution are known with similar stoichiometry; they contain various hexacoordinated rhodium(III) aqua and nitrate complexes. A number of other rhodium nitrates have been characterized by X-ray crystallography: Rb4[trans-[Rh(H2O)2(NO3)4][Rh(NO3)6] and Cs2[-[Rh(NO3)5]. Rhodium nitrates are of interest because nuclear wastes, which contain rhodium, are recycled by dissolution in nitric acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plutonium(IV) nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Plutonium (IV) nitrate is an inorganic compound, a salt of plutonium and nitric acid with the chemical formula Pu(NO3)4. The compound dissolves in water and forms crystalline hydrates as dark green crystals.

Lutetium(III) nitrate is an inorganic compound, a salt of lutetium and nitric acid with the chemical formula Lu(NO3)3. The compound forms colorless crystals, dissolves in water, and also forms crystalline hydrates. The compound is poisonous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transition metal nitrate complex</span> Compound of nitrate ligands

A transition metal nitrate complex is a coordination compound containing one or more nitrate ligands. Such complexes are common starting reagents for the preparation of other compounds.

References

  1. Pradyot Patnaik. Handbook of Inorganic Chemicals. McGraw-Hill, 2002, ISBN   0-07-049439-8.[ page needed ]
  2. Wietelmann, Ulrich and Bauer, Richard J. (2005) "Lithium and Lithium Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH: Weinheim. doi : 10.1002/14356007.a15_393.
  3. Shamberger, Patrick J.; Reid, Timothy (2012). "Thermophysical Properties of Lithium Nitrate Trihydrate from (253 to 353) K". Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data. 57 (5): 1404–1411. doi:10.1021/je3000469.
  4. Kenisarin, Murat; Mahkamov, Khamid (2016). "Salt hydrates as latent heat storage materials:Thermophysical properties and costs". Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. 145 (3): 255–286. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2015.10.029.
  5. "A Solar Cooker Prototype for a Greener Tomorrow". 23 March 2011.
  6. "Synthesis database: Lithium nitrate synthesis". Amateur Science Network. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  7. "Material Safety Data Sheet". Sigma-Aldrich Catalog. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  8. "Chemical Datasheet". CAMEO Chemicals. Retrieved April 26, 2012.