Determination of the role of Li2O on the corrosion of lithium hydride

Lithium hydride (LiH) will efficiently react with moisture, forming lithium hydroxide (LiOH) on the surface. Typically, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy is used for studying the surface corrosion reaction. The presence of a surface lithium oxide (Li2O) layer will enhance hydroxide formation kinetics; however, interference in the DRIFT spectrum prevents the role of Li2O on the reaction kinetics from being fully understood. In the current study, Raman spectroscopy has been used to follow the reaction of LiH with moisture, with particular focus on the Li2O vibrational signature. Three vibrations were observed for Li2O after thermal decomposition of LiOH on the LiH surface in contrast to the single vibration at 515 cm(-1) for pure Li2O powder. The multiple peaks are indicative on multiple Li2O Chemical domains and are likely the substrate through which unstable LiOH domains are formed during subsequent hydrolysis of the LiH/Li2O system. Published by Elsevier B.V.