A Basic Safe Handling Guide
for Stabilized Lithium Metal
Powder (Lectro Max Powder)
Disclaimer
In preparing this guide, FMC Lithium has utilized the best information known
and available at the time of printing. FMC Lithium recognizes that over time
techniques, methods and equipment related to the safe handling of lithium
metal will evolve, dating the information within this guide.
Additionally, the information presented in this Guide has been written to
address most typical situations, environments and facilities, based upon FMC
Lithium’s experiences. However, FMC Lithium recognizes that each
customer’s situation is different and necessitates specific solutions to fit those
requirements. This guide is intended to assist in the handling of small
quantities of SLMP® in a laboratory environment.
FMC Lithium seeks to provide up-to-date solutions to the questions or
concerns that our customers may have. Please contact us to discuss your
specific needs.
Responsible Care
FMC supports the principles of the American Chemistry Council (ACC)
Responsible Care® program by working with our employees, suppliers,
customers, contractors, and commercial partners to promote
responsible management of products and processes.
Outline
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Introduction
Properties of Lithium Metal
Laboratory Safety
Application Methods for SLMP®
(Lectro® Max Powder)
• Specifications
Introduction
This guide is provided for the application and use of Stabilized
Lithium Metal Powder (SLMP®). Non-stabilized lithium metal
powder is pyrophoric, has to be stored under heavy organic oils,
is dangerous to handle, and requires special handling and
environmental conditions. SLMP® is non-pyrophoric, can be
transported by air and sea and can be handled with care under
controlled environmental conditions.
SLMP® is protected by US Patents 5,567,474; 5,776,369;
6,706,447; 7,588,623 and other patents pending, and is not for
commercial purposes. This product is for Research and
Development only.
Introduction
SLMP® provides an independent source of lithium for Li-ion
Batteries.
• Breaks the current limitation that all Li has to come from the
cathode and is more cost effective than Li supplied from LiCoO2
• Allows the use of non-lithium providing cathode materials that
are more overcharge tolerant with potentially larger capacities
• SLMP® can be applied in existing Li-ion cell designs by
partially lithiating the anode to compensate for the irreversible
capacity of the graphite or other anode materials
• Allows 5%-15% improvements in cell capacity without a
voltage change.
Properties of Lithium Metal
Li
3
[He]2s1
6.941
Lithium
• Lithium is a somewhat soft, silver-white
metal in elemental form
• Lithium is the lightest metal
(d=0.534 g/cm3)
• Lithium has a high electrochemical
potential (more negative standard
electrode potential relative to SHE)
• Lithium metal is flammable and air and
water sensitive
Properties of Lithium Metal
Lithium metal, like other alkali metals, is very reactive toward water and air. The degree of
the metal’s reactivity is proportional to its surface area. Large pieces of lithium metal will
react relatively slowly with air and water while lithium metal as a finely divided powder can
react very rapidly.
2 Li
+
H2O 
Li2O + H2
Lithium will react with nitrogen in the air to form lithium nitride. This reaction is catalyzed by
the presence of moisture in the air. Lithium should be stored under argon.
6 Li
+
N2 
2 Li3N
For this reason, lithium metal is usually handled under argon, in oil and/or in a dry room.
Even in a dry environment, however, finely divided dry lithium powder will react with the
oxygen in the air unless it is protected with an inert coating - like those on our SLMP®.
These coatings allow even finely divided lithium metal powder to be handled in a dry room
environment for extended periods of time.
4 Li
+
O2 
2 Li2O
Handling of SLMP®
While SLMP® has a coating that mitigates many of the
difficulties with handling lithium metal powder,
precautions are still required with its handling:
• SLMP® will still react with water
• SLMP® is dusty – care should be taken not to inhale this
dust as it is very irritating to mucous membranes
• SLMP® can react with moisture in the skin and eyes to
cause irritation or burns
• SLMP® should be stored in a closed container under an
inert atmosphere when not in use
• SLMP® may be incompatible with other chemicals
Handling of SLMP®
Detailed information on material hazards, handling and
storage is provided in the New Product Data Sheet
(NPDS).
We recommend the following PPE
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask
• Gloves
• Nomex® (fire retardant) laboratory coat
• Fume hoods
Handling of SLMP®
It is best to handle SLMP® in a dry room atmosphere. Studies
conducted at -30 oC dew point show <1% loss in metallic lithium
content after 50 hours.
Li , %
Dry Room Conditions
DP=-30oC
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
50
100
150
Time, hours
200
250
300
Compatibility of SLMP®
SLMP® is incompatible with some other chemicals. Users
should exercise caution when mixing SLMP® with other
chemicals. Some compatibility data is available from FMC
Lithium upon request.
SLMP® compatibilities to consider:
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Solvents
Binders
Electrolytes
Substrates
Moisture in chemicals
Fire Fighting
SLMP® is designed to be non-pyrophoric but it is still
combustible. Any area where SLMP® will be handled
should be equipped with one of the following fire
extinguishers:
 Copper powder
 Graphite
 Lith-X®
• Dry sodium chloride
• Dry calcium oxide
• Dry lithium chloride
X Never use water, sand or carbon dioxide
Disposal Of Waste Materials
It is essential that all equipment and waste materials
containing the lithium powder are de-activated prior to
disposal. Good house-keeping is vital for safe operation with
the powder. The powder reacts with water to produce heat
and hydrogen gas, according to the equation:
Li (s)
+ H2 O

LiOH
+
½ H2 (g)
The hazard depends on the quantity of lithium present, and
the form of the material. For example, coated electrodes are
safer than the pure powder.
Disposal Of Waste Materials
Small quantities of SLMP® may be left in storage bottles,
or in equipment used to transfer the powder. If they are
enclosed (e.g. in bottles), then they should be
transferred to a well-ventilated area (e.g. a fume
cupboard) and be slowly de-activated with wet air. After
a few hours, the powder will have hydrolyzed. The bottle
can then be washed out, to produce dilute lithium
hydroxide. If the powder is not enclosed, then it is best
not to try to transfer it (electro-static forces will tend to
disperse the powder). Small quantities can be allowed to
react with isopropyl alcohol or t-butyl alcohol.
Disposal Of Waste Materials
It is best not to try to de-activate the lithium while a mix
still contains solvent. Vessels should be placed in a
location where it is safe for the solvent to evaporate. The
dry coating residue can then be treated like electrode
off-cuts, as described in the following section. Residue in
the coating head should also be allowed to dry out,
before being scraped off. Surfaces can be washed with
isopropyl alcohol, and then wiped with tissues.
Lithium is safe when stored under mineral oil. Small
amounts can be wiped up with an oil-soaked cloth.
Disposal Of Waste Materials
Off-cuts from electrode cutting and cell winding, coating
residues, and cleaning tissues should all be deactivated
in the same way. The preferred method is to use a tank
containing water, with a layer of mineral oil on top of it.
The electrode materials are lowered into the bath using
a basket arrangement. Given the reaction between the
lithium powder and water, it is essential that the off-gas
from the tank is purged e.g. with nitrogen. Ventilation will
also need to be to a safe area, where the hydrogen can
be dispersed or reacted in a controlled manner.
Disposal Of Waste Materials
The preferred method to de-activate lithium powder
which has been applied to the surface of an electrode is
to transfer the electrode to a well ventilated area with
wet air (e.g. a fume cupboard). After a few hours, white
spots of lithium hydroxide will appear. The electrode can
then be disposed of through normal disposal routes.
SLMP® Application Methods
• Surface application - an SLMP®
suspension is applied to a prefabricated
anode sheet
• Slurry application - a conventional
electrode preparation method is employed
and both binder and solvent must be
compatible (non-reactive) with lithium.
Surface Application Method
Surface application is where an SLMP® suspension is applied to a prefabricated
anode sheet. The techniques include, for example, dip coating, draw-down
coating, spray coating, sieving and painting onto the pre-fabricated electrodes.
Optimization of the suspension formulation for the surface application is a
critical task. Consideration should be given to:
1) Compatibility of SLMP®, solvent and additives
2) Physical properties of the solvent to fit the desired process conditions
3) Proper additive selection to ensure suspension homogeneity and stability
4) Concentration of the suspension components.
The choice of the suspension formulation additives depends on the specific
technique selected and a need to keep SLMP® suspended in the mix. Also, the
specific properties of the anode film should be taken into consideration.
Slurry Application Method
Formation of an anode is achieved by combining
SLMP®, a fine particle host material, a binder
polymer, and a solvent to form a slurry. The slurry
can be coated on a current collector, such as copper
foil or mesh, and dried.
Examples of host materials:
• Carbonaceous materials such as:
• Graphite
• Hard Carbon
• Silicon, tin and other composites
Standard SLMP® Specifications
Free Lithium Content:
Particle Size (D50):
Li2CO3 Content:
97% min.
<50 micron
0.5% min.
Trace Elements (max ppm):
Nitrogen:
500
Chloride:
100
Calcium:
300
Iron:
300
Potassium:
100
Sodium:
300
Silicon:
300
For Further Information
Dr. Chris Woltermann,
Product and Technology Development Manager
[email protected]
Bruce Urban,
Global Product Manager
[email protected]
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http://fmclithium.com/
FMC, Lectro and SLMP are trademarks of FMC Corporation
Nomex® is a product of DuPont
Lith-X® is a product of Ansul Inc.
© 2010 FMC Corporation