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A kinetic study of the intercalation of lithium salts into Al(OH)3
Gareth R Williams1, Dermot O'Hare
1Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK.
Abstract:
The intercalation of five lithium salts into the gibbsite and bayerite polymorphs of Al(OH)3 has been studied using in situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. The kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions have been modeled using the Avrami-Erofe'ev model. The kinetic data suggest that the reaction mechanisms are predominantly nucleation controlled, although the intercalation of LiNO3 into bayerite and of Li2SO4 into gibbsite proceed via two-stage mechanisms, one part of which is diffusion controlled. All the reactions proceed directly from the host to the product, except for the intercalation of Li2SO4 into gibbsite where a more hydrated intermediate form of [LiAl2(OH)6]2SO4 x yH2O is generated prior to the final product.
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