Lithium carbonate & Lithium hydroxide Difference

There are the following differences between lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide:

Chemical properties

Chemical formula: The chemical formula of lithium carbonate is Li2CO3, and the chemical formula of lithium hydroxide is LiOH.

Acidity and alkalinity: lithium carbonate is weakly alkaline, and lithium hydroxide is strongly alkaline.

Solubility: lithium carbonate is slightly soluble in water, and lithium hydroxide is easily soluble in water.

Physical properties

Appearance: lithium carbonate is usually a colorless monoclinic crystal or white powder, and lithium hydroxide is a white monoclinic fine crystal.

Density: The density of lithium carbonate is 2.11/g/cm3, and the density of lithium hydroxide is 1.45/g/cm3.

Melting point: The melting point of lithium carbonate is 618℃, and the melting point of lithium hydroxide is 471℃.

Preparation process

Lithium carbonate: The sulfuric acid method is mainly used. Lithium sulfate is obtained by the reaction of sulfuric acid and spodumene. Sodium carbonate is added to the lithium sulfate solution, and then precipitated and dried to prepare lithium carbonate; lithium extraction from salt lakes is to directly prepare lithium carbonate by brine evaporation and precipitation.

Lithium hydroxide: mainly produced by the alkaline method, that is, by roasting spodumene and calcium hydroxide, and some by the sodium carbonate pressure method, that is, first preparing a lithium-containing solution, and then adding lime to the solution to prepare lithium hydroxide.

Uses

Lithium carbonate: mainly used to produce lithium iron phosphate and medium-low nickel positive electrode materials in ternary materials, such as NCM111, 523 and some 622; also used in the glass and ceramic industries as a flux to improve product strength and gloss; in the medical field, used to treat bipolar disorder.

Lithium hydroxide: mainly used to produce high-nickel positive electrode materials in ternary materials, such as NCM811 and NCA; can also be used in grease manufacturing to prepare high-performance grease, widely used in the aerospace field; used in submarines and spacecraft to absorb carbon dioxide and purify the air.

Price

Under normal circumstances, the price of lithium hydroxide is higher than that of lithium carbonate.