Date of Award

3-14-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Engineering Physics

First Advisor

Timothy W. Zens, PhD.

Abstract

Growth of lithium tetraborate by the hydrothermal method was attempted in 10-6 M LiOH, both by spontaneous nucleation and transport growth. Tetraborate grew out of the first spontaneous nucleation reaction, while the seed dissolved and lithium gamma-metaborate formed during the transport growth reactions. A species thermodynamic stability study showed gamma-metaborate formed exclusively from 350°C to 550°C, and Li3B5O8(OH)2 was observed at 250°C; tetraborate was not observed. A solubility study on lithium tetraborate did not achieve equilibrium conditions, but did demonstrate that gamma-metaborate is significantly more thermodynamically stable than tetraborate under the tested conditions. Formation of lithium tetraborate hydrothermally was shown to result from kinetic growth.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-ENP-14-M-12

DTIC Accession Number

ADA598915

Comments

Plain-text title: Hydrothermal Crystal Growth of Lithium Tetraborate and Lithium y-Metaborate

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