Experimental investigation of the grain size dependence of the hydrolysis of LiH powder

International audience; The hydrolysis reaction of LiH powder has been investigated in order to determine the products, rates and mechanisms of this reaction and the influence of the experimental parameters. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and gravimetric analysis were used. It was shown that the product of hydrolysis was the hydroxide of lithium (LiOH) for low partial pressure of water (≈50 Pa) and LiOH*H2O for a higher partial pressure of water (>2000 Pa). Moreover, data obtained using gravimetric analysis inside a glove box containing a controlled partial pressure of water (500 ppmv/50 Pa at 25 °C) were used to determine the rate of the reaction versus particle size. The experiment…