The rates of thermal decomposition of LiOH(s), LiOD(s) and LiOT(s)

Kinetic studies on the thermal decomposition reactions, 2LiOH(s) → Li₂O(s) + H₂O(g), 2LiOD(s) → Li₂O(s) + D₂O(g), and LiOH(s) + LiOT(s) → Li₂O(s) + HTO(g), have been carried out with mass spectrometric and radiometric methods over the temperature range 530–690 K. Those reaction rates were found to be of first order in the quantity of released water. The rate-constants, k, in s^?1, were: k_H2O = 1.8 × 10⁸ exp(29 500/RT), k_D2O = 1.7 × 10⁸ exp(29 000/RT), and k_HTO = 1.6 × 10⁷ exp(30 700/RT), respectively. The apparent activation energy obtained for the thermal decomposition of LiOH(s), E_a = 29.5 ± 1.1 kcal/mol, coincided with a literature value of the enthalpy of reaction, ΔH°₆₀₀^° = 29.8 ± 1.0 kcal/mol.