Lithium nitride

Chembox new
Name = Lithium Nitride
ImageFile = Lithium-nitride-xtal-CM-3D-polyhedra.png ImageSize =
IUPACName = trilithium(1+) azanetriide
SystematicName =
OtherNames = lithium nitride
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
Abbreviations =
CASNo = 26134-62-3
EINECS = 247-475-2
PubChem =
SMILES = [Li] N( [Li] ) [Li]
InChI = 1/3Li.N
RTECS =
MeSHName =
ChEBI = 30525
KEGG =
ATCCode_prefix =
ATCCode_suffix =
ATC_Supplemental =
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = Li₃N
MolarMass = 34.82974 g·mol⁻¹
Appearance = red, purple solid
Density = 1.270 g·cm⁻³
MeltingPt = 1086 K
Melting_notes =
BoilingPt =
Boiling_notes =
Solubility =
SolubleOther =
Solvent =
LogP = 3.24
VaporPressure =
HenryConstant =
AtmosphericOHRateConstant =
pKa =
pKb =
Section 3 = Chembox Structure
CrystalStruct =
Coordination =
MolShape =
Section4 Chembox Thermochemistry
DeltaHf =
DeltaHc =
Entropy =
HeatCapacity =
Section5 Chembox Pharamacology
AdminRoutes =
Bioavail =
Metabolism =
Halflife =
ProteinBound =
Excretion =
Lagal_tatus =
Legal_US =
Legal_UK =
Legal_AU =
Legal_CA =
PregCat =
PregCat_AU =
PregCat_US =
Section6 = Chembox Explosive
ShockSens =
FrictionSens =
ExplosiveV =
REFactor =
Section7 = Chembox Hazards
ExternalMSDS =
EUClass =
EUIndex =
MainHazards =
NFPA-H =
NFPA-F =
NFPA-R =
NFPA-O =
RPhrases =
SPhrases =
RSPhrases =
FlashPt =
Autoignition =
ExploLimits =
LD50 =
PEL =
Section8 = Chembox Related
OtherAnions =
OtherCations = Sodium nitride
OtherFunctn =
Function =
OtherCpds =

Lithium nitride is a compound of lithium and nitrogen with the formula Li₃N. It is the only stable alkali metal nitride. The solid is a red or purple color and has a high melting point.

Li₃N has an unusual crystal structure that consists of two types of layers, one sheet has the composition Li₂N⁻ contains 6 coordinate Li centers and the other sheet consist only of lithium cations. Solid lithium nitride is a fast ion conductor and has the highest conductivity of any inorganic lithium salt. It has been studied extensively as a solid electrolyte and an anode material for use in batteries. [US patent 4888258 (1989)] . It can be formed by direct reaction of the elements, either by burning lithium metal in pure nitrogen gas or by reacting nitrogen gas with lithium dissolved in liquid sodium metal. [cite journal | author = Barker M.G., Blake A.J, Edwards P.P., Gregory D.H., Hamor T. A., Siddons D. J., Smith S. E. | journal = Chem. Commun. | year = 1999 | pages = 1187–1188 | doi = 10.1039/a902962a | title = Novel layered lithium nitridonickelates; effect of Li vacancy concentration on N co-ordination geometry and Ni oxidation state] . The second method gives a purer product. Lithium nitride reacts violently with water to produce ammonia:

:Li₃N (s) + 3 H₂O (l) → 3 LiOH (aq) + NH₃ (g)

Other alkali and alkaline earth nitrides also react in this manner, due to the high basicity of the nitride. The hypothetical nitride ion, N³⁻, would be an extremely strong Bronsted base, easily qualifying as a superbase. It is, in fact, a stronger base than the hydride ion, and so deprotonates hydrogen itself:

:Li₃N (s) + 2 H₂ (g) → LiNH₂ (s) + 2 LiH (s)

Lithium nitride is being investigated as a potential storage medium for hydrogen gas, as the reaction is reversible at 270 °C. Up to 11.5% by weight absorption of hydrogen has been achieved. [cite journal | author = Ping Chen, Zhitao Xiong, Jizhong Luo, Jianyi Lin and Kuang Lee Tan | title = Interaction of hydrogen with metal nitrides and imides" | journal = Nature | volume = 420 | pages = 302–304 | year = 2002 | doi = 10.1038/nature01210]

References

* [http://www.webelements.com/ WebElements]
*Greenwood&Earnshaw