DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive

Hi Gordon,

I use mineral oil (Nujol) for metallic lithium, sodium, and potassium.  
Both lithium and potassium float in the mineral oil, but it does not 
absorb moisture from the air and it maintains a surface coating on the 
metals.  I have used mineral oil for well over 20 years on my samples of 
the metals and I have encountered only minimal surface oxidation and no 
problems.

My last shipment of lithium, received about 20 years ago, came coated 
with petrolatum.

David Katz

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DAVID A. KATZ
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gordon Miller 
  To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 5:02 PM
  Subject: [DCHAS-L] Immersant for Metallic Lithium

  Can anyone advise what a good organic immersant is for lithium 
  (specific gravity = 0.534)?