THE LITHIUM REACTOR C U R R E N T I N F O R M A T I O N O N L I T H I U M C H E M I S T R Y
LITHIUM HYPOCHLORITEA SUPERIOR DRY BLEACH LCA has just announced the development of lithium hypochlorite for use as a dry bleach. Equally adaptable for home, commercial or institutional laundries, it affords superior performance over other commercially available dry bleaches. To date, the problem has been to secure a material that would offer the effec tiveness of sodium hypochlorite solution bleaches combined with the greater con venience of a dry product. Although previously available dry bleaches have eliminated the troublesome features of the liquid product, they have possessed drawbacks of their own. These drawbacks were : weak action . . . poor solubility in some c a s e s . . . need, in other cases, for calcium precipitation by soda ash before being used . . . at times expensive and complicated formulation. The newly available lithium hypochlorite product, with approximately 35% available chlorine, combines for the first time the convenience of a dry LITHIUM FLUORIDE bleach with the superior bleaching ability of sodium hypochlorite liquid Versatile Material for Industry bleaches. It may be characterized as Lithium fluoride possesses a number follows : of distinctive properties which are Effectiveness—In bleaching perform gaining it increasing utility in indus ance, lithium hypochlorite is the equal try, particularly in ceramics and me of sodium hypochlorite liquid bleach tallurgy. and superior to the chlorinated cyaLithium fluoride combines the flux nuric dry bleaches. ing action of lithium and fluorine, and Convenience — Lithium hypochlorite is therefore one of the most effective is produced as a white granular ma fluxes known. This property leads to terial readily soluble in water. many valuable applications in ceram Safety—Lithium hypochlorite has the ics, particularly for porcelain enamels same effect as sodium hypochlorite on and special glass linings. When added the color of vat-dyed cotton fabrics to regular steel ground coats, it lowers and causes no greater decrease in fiber and widens the firing range, and acts strength after repeated laundry cycles as an adherence-promoting agent, sim in which it is used as a bleach. ilar to nickel flash. Formulation—A lithium hypochlorite An important use in metallurgy is bleach formulation does not require as a component of brazing and weld pH and odor control ingredients. ing fluxes for nonferrous metals. Here There is no need for a spray-dried it contributes low melting, liquid base bead. The formulation may be slags, and an acid reaction that cuts made by simple blending of the con oxide coatings. Its nonhygroscopic na centrated lithium hypochlorite with an ture is another desirable property in inexpensive inert filler. this application. Stability—To insure adequate stabil Lithium fluoride is used in salt-bath ity, lithium hypochlorite requires good compositions which find application protection from moisture and carbon in the fields of nuclear energy, fuel dioxide. A comprehensive investiga cells, electrowinning, etc. tion, covering a variety of formula Scientific applications include the tions, several types of containers, and use of lithium fluoride crystals in ul varied storage conditions, has shown traviolet and infrared optics. that the required protection is readily There are a variety of other appli achieved. cations as well—some well established, Further information on the properties others still in the development stage. and application of lithium hypochlo Those interested in further informa rite may be obtained by writing to tion are invited to write to our New Lithium Corporation of America. York office.
•
A N D M E T A L L U R G Y I
LITHIUM IN BRIEF
New developments involving lithium are constantly appearing in the literature. Each month some will be mentioned here briefly. · A recent study of solid-liquid phase equi libria for alkali carbonates covers the binary systems Li 2 C03-Na 2 C03 and L12CO3-K2CO3, as well as the ternary system Li2C03-Na2G03-K2C03. (6562) • Lithium fluoride and lithium carbonate were used as mineralizers in the forma tion of mullite from kaolin. (6420) • A recent paper describes a simple inex pensive radiation dosimeter which util izes the thermoluminescence of lithium fluoride. (6000-A) • Lithium fluoride coatings on aluminum mirrors show a high reflectance of wave lengths as low as 1000A°. (6607) • A recent investigation showed.that the reaction of lithium hydroxide and silica differs from that of sodium and potas sium hydroxides. In mortar, the reaction of lithium hydroxide with opal is neg ligible compared to the other alkali hydroxides. This supports conclusions of earlier work by others that lithium com pounds reduce and virtually inhibit mortar expansion. (6182) • Vinyllithium may be prepared directly from vinyl bromide and lithium metal containing 2% sodium. (6406) • A recent patent describes the prepara tion of various alkyllithium compounds by reacting lithium hydride with olefins in an inert medium at 50-300° C and high pressures. (6308) • The phase diagram of the ternary system LiF-CaF2-BaF2 was investigated. The eutectic and the other low-melting com positions are recommended as fluxes in welding nonferrous metals. (6010) • A recent dissertation covers a detailed study of lithium isotope effects on the physical and chemical properties of lithium alkyls. (6203) • Vinyllithium was found to initiate rapid polymerization of styrene in tetrahydrofuran. (6662) A recent patent describes a catalyst for the polymerization of olefins, comprised of a mixture of a transition metal halide with lithium hydride or certain lithium alkyls and aryls. (6647)
LITHIUM CORPORATION OF AMERICA, INC. 5 0 0 F I F T H AVENUE
NEW YORK 36, Ν. Υ.
36
C&ΕΝ
CLEVELAND 14, OHIO
·
.
NEW Y O R K 3 6 , N . Y .
CHICAGO 1, ILL.
·
LOS ANGELES 36, CALIF.
·
BESSEMER CITY, N. C.
