THERMAL DEHYDRATION OF LITHIUM-SULFATE MONOHYDRATE - THE REACTION REVERSIBILITY AND THE SOLID PRODUCT MORPHOLOGY

Local reversibility caused by a reactant (lithium sulfate monohydrate) crystalline skeleton kept after removal of water molecules (''vacancy structure'') was studied via dehydration/rehydration cycles repeated under the same conditions. The dehydration reversibility observed indi cates the stability of the ''vacancy structure''. Solid product morpho logy was studied using electron microscopy. The initial crystal of Li2 SO4 . H2O decomposed in the course of dehydration, and thus the reacti on zone, consisted of isolated microcrystalline ''blocks''.