LITHIUM STEARATE

PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION

CAS NO. 4485-12-5

LITHIUM STEARATE 

EINECS NO. 224-772-5
FORMULA

C17H35COOLi

MOL WT. 290.41

H.S. CODE

2915.70
TOXICITY Oral rat LD50: 15000 mg/kg
SYNONYMS Stearic acid lithium salt;
Litholite; Stavinor; Lithium Octadecanoate; Lithiumstearat (German); Estearato de litio (Spanish); stéarate de lithium (French); 
SMILES from lithium hydroxide with cooking tallow

CLASSIFICATION

 

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

PHYSICAL STATE white crystalline powder
MELTING POINT 220 C
BOILING POINT  
SPECIFIC GRAVITY  
SOLUBILITY IN WATER  
pH  
VAPOR DENSITY  

AUTOIGNITION

 

NFPA RATINGS

 

REFRACTIVE INDEX

 

FLASH POINT  
STABILITY Stable under ordinary conditions

APPLICATIONS

general purpose lubricating greases; stabilizer for cosmetics as well as plastic industry. It is used as a corrosion inhibitor in petroleum.
SALES SPECIFICATION

APPEARANCE

White Powder

LITHIA

5.0 - 5.5%

FREE FATTY ACID 0.5% max
MELTING POINT

220 - 235 C

IRON

100ppm max

SULFATE

0.2% max

CHLORIDE

0.2% max

LOSS ON DRYING

1.0% max

PARTICLE SIZE

99.0% (+325 mesh)

TRANSPORTATION
PACKING  
HAZARD CLASS  
UN NO.  

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF METALLIC SALTS OF FATTY ACIDS

Metallic salts of fatty acids (called soap) are primarily used as cleansing agent (mainly sodium- and potassium-) which their molecules attach readily to both polar molecules (of water) and non-polar molecules (of grease or oil). The long hydrocarbon chains are non-polar (and hydrophobic) repelled by water and the salt end molecules are ionic (and hydrophilic) water soluble. Soaps differ according to the type of fatty acid and length of the carbon chain and according to the alkali employed. Fatty acids with longer chains are insoluble. If sodium hydroxide is used as the alkali, hard soaps are formed; potassium hydroxide yields soft soaps. Soap salts are used as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and algaecides. The lipophilic carbon chains infiltrate and destroy the lipoprotein matrix of the insect's cell membranes. Food grade soap salts are used also as  general purpose food additives. Aluminum, calcium, magnesium, lead, zinc or other metals are used in place of sodium or potassium for soaps to be used in industry. Metallic salts of fatty acids are used as stabilizer and plasticizer in plastic industry as well as in cosmetics. They are used as flatting and sanding agents in lacquers, coatings & inks. They can be applied in tablet manufacturing. They are used as drying lubricants and dusting agents for rubbers. They are used as catalysts in chemical synthesis and emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization of synthetic rubber and resin which can be approved for use in food contact applications. They are used as waterproofing additives and ointments. 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF LITHIUM AND ITS COMPOUNDS

Lithium is a soft, the lightest, silver-white, highly reactive metallic element in Group 1 of periodic table; atomic number 3; atomic mass 6.941; melting point ca 180.5 C; boiling point ca 1,342 C; specific gravity 0.534 g/cm3 valence +1; electronic config. 2-1 or 1s 22s 1. Lithium metal is prepared by the electrolysis of a molten mixture of potassium and lithium chlorides. It is used in various alloys with magnesium, copper, manganese, cadmium and aluminum to form a strong, low density material, as a heat transfer medium, in cooling system of nuclear reactor, and as a scavenger, in ceramics, glasses and in rocket fuel. Lithium forms many important inorganic and organic compounds such as;

Lithium Hydride (LiH): Flammable, white, translucent solids; decomposes at 850 °C; reacts violently with water to yield hydrogen and lithium hydroxide; used as a hydrogen source or reducing agent to prepare other hydrides amides and 2H isotopic compound, as a shielding material for thermal neutrons.

Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH); white, hygroscopic, crystalline material; soluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol and insoluble in ether; there are commercially forms of monohydrate and anhydrous; used for purification of gases and air (as a carbon dioxide absorbent), as a heat transfer medium, as a storage-battery electrolyte, as a catalyst for polymerization, in ceramics, manufacturing other lithium compounds and esterfication specially for lithium stearate which is used as general purpose lubricating greases due to its high resistance to water and the useful at both high and low temperature.

Lithium Carbonate (Li2CO3) ; white granular powder; slight soluble in water, melts at 723°C, decomposes above 1310°C; It is prepared commercially by treating the ore with sulphuric acid at 250°C and leaching the product to give a solution of lithium sulphate. The carbonate is then obtained by precipitation with sodium carbonate solution; It is used as a flux in the aluminium, glass and ceramics production to improves the brightness of glazes and increases the firing range. It is a source of lithia, strong high temperature flux. It is used as an additive in cement industry to improve acceleration and fast setting process. It is used as an additive in floor screeds and tiles. It is used for the production of other lithium chemicals and organic compounds as a catalyst. Pharmaceutical grade of lithium carbonate is used for the primary treatment of depression and bipolar disorder.

Lithium Bromide (LiBr); white powder with a bitter taste; melts at 547°C, soluble in water, alcohol and glycol; used as an operating medium for air-conditioning and industrial drying system due to its very hygroscopic property. and as a sedative and hypnotic in medicine. It is also used in manufacturing pharmaceuticals and alkylation process. It is used as brazing and welding fluxes.

Lithium chloride; white hygroscopic deliquescent granule or powder having high melting point  at 614°C. Lithium chloride and bromide are the mostly proscopic materials used as a operating medium for air-conditioning and industrial drying system. It is used as brazing and welding fluxes. It is also used in as an intermediate for manufacturing other chemical compounds.

Lithium Fluoride  (LiF); white poisonous powder melting at 870°C, boiling at 1670°C; slightly soluble in water, soluble in acids but insoluble in alcohol; t is used as a flux in the aluminium, glass and ceramics production to improves the brightness of glazes and increases the firing range. It is used as a flux for brazing and welding of zirconium, titanium and magnesium. It is used as a heat-exchange medium.

Lithium Iodide  (LiI; LiI.3H2O) white to yellowish solid; soluble in water alcohol; there are commercially anhydrous form (melts at 446°C) and trihydrate form ( loses water at 72°C); It is used in organic synthesis, manufacturing medicines and mineral waters.

Lithium Stearate (LiC18H35O2); white crystalline powder derived from lithium hydroxide with cooking tallow (or other animal fat); melting at 220 C; used as general purpose lubricating greases providing high resistance to water and the useful at both high and low temperature, which have found extensive applications in the automotive, aircraft and heavy machinery industry. It is also applied as a stabilizer in cosmetics as well as plastic industry. It is used as a corrosion inhibitor in petroleum.

Lithium Molybdate  (Li2MoO4); white crystals melting at 705°C; soluble in water; used as a catalyst for petroleum cracking and as a mill additive for steel.

Lithia (Li2O); A white crystalline compound, melting at 1700°C. the main uses are in lubricating greases, ceramics, glass and refractories, and as a flux in brazing and welding.

Lithium Carbide (Li2C2);

Lithium Phosphate (Li3PO4);

Lithium Sulphate (Li2SO4); white crystalline material, soluble in water but insoluble in ethanol. It forms a monohydrate and an anhydrous form, The compound is prepared by the reaction of the hydroxide or carbonate with sulphuric acid.

Lithium Tetrahydridoaluminate (Lithal, LiAlH4); A powerful reducing agent in synthetic organic chemistry; aldehydes, esters and ketones to the corresponding alcohols. nitriles to primary amines.