Lithium

At atomic number 3 in the table is lithium. This element is an element of group I of the main subgroup of the periodic system .

Its simple substance is a silver-white alkali metal, soft and ductile, harder than sodium but softer than lead. It can be processed by pressing and rolling .

Of all the alkali metals, lithium has the highest melting and boiling points (180.54 and 1340°C, respectively). It also has the lowest density at room temperature among all metals (0.533 g / cm³), as a result of which it floats not only in water, but also, for example, in kerosene.

Application area

Lithium is used to make anodes for chemical current sources and solid electrolyte electrochemical cells that operate on the basis of non-aqueous liquid and solid electrolytes .

Lithium compounds have found wide application in many industries .

Lithium alloy (lithium sulfide and copper sulfide) is applied as a thermoelectric material .

Alloys of lithium with silver and gold are very effective solders and .

Alloys of lithium with magnesium, scandium, copper, cadmium and aluminum, due to their lightness, are used as materials in aviation and astronautics .

Lithium cobaltate and lithium molybdate are used as the positive electrode of lithium batteries .

Lithium hydroxide is used as one of the components for the preparation of alkaline battery electrolyte .

Lithium aluminate is used as the most efficient solid electrolyte .

Lithium perchlorate is used as an oxidizing agent .

Also, lithium compounds are used in electronics, pyrotechnics, metallurgy, and nuclear power .

Lithium salts have normothymic and other medicinal properties. Therefore, they find application in medicine .

In addition, lithium and its compounds are used in the silicate industry for the manufacture of special types of glass and the coating of porcelain products .