Reaction of crystalline aluminium hydroxide with aqueous solutions of lithium salts

It was shown that the reaction of gibbsite with aqueous solutions of lithium chloride, bromide, iodide and sulphate resulted in corresponding lithium aluminates (LA-Anx−, where Anx− is Cl−, Br−, I−, SO42−). The structure of LA-Anx− was investigated by X-ray single crystal and powder technique. The orientation relationship between the structures of gibbsite and LA-An and microscopic observations for propagation of the reactivity front showed the lithium ions, anions and water molecules to intercalate between close-packed layers of gibbsite.