🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <18345@mindlink.bc.ca> Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Dunn) writes:
>pentane and hexane).    Acetone and alcohol won't likely dissolve the oil,
>which I think will be a mineral oil.  To check if a candidate solvent is any

Don't use alcohols or ketones on Li, you will get some degree of surface
reaction (particularly the alcohols).  Your best bet is some form of alkane.
If you can find starting ether, it is a mix of low boiling hydrocarbons
that will not react with the lithium or leave a residue, and they should
work very well in removing the mineral oil.  Diethyl ether will also
definitely work, but is hard to get and the extreme flammability hazard
definitely makes this a poorer choice IMHO.  One more warning, do *not*
use halogenated hydrocarbons (trichlor, etc).  I have heard of explosive
reactions, although I haven't experienced one myself.  I have, however,
seen lithium foil in contact with Teflon(!) turn the Teflon black by
reducing it down to carbon.

I see you've already discovered argon is the best choice for an atmosphere.
Nitrogen reacts with lithium to form a black lithium nitride layer.  Argon
is available from welding supply houses (I don't know if that's where
you've ordered from, if not from a welding house you now have another
shopping alternative).





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