Identification of a new lithium oxide, Li3O2

Lithium oxide (Li3O2) was prepared by decomposing anhydrous lithium hydroxide at 360 C in 48 hours and between 640 and 730 C in times up to 1.3 hours and pressures of about 0.00001 torr. Decompositions were done in nickel, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, and the T-111 tantalum alloy (Ta - 8-wt.% W - 2 wt.% Hf) containers. This oxide probably belongs to the simple orthorhombic system with the following lattice parameters: a = 108.4 + or - 0.4 nm (10.84 + or - 0.04 A), b = 128.4 + or - 0.5 nm (12.84 + or - 0.05 A), and c = 103.6 + or - 0.4 nm (10.36 + or - 0.04 A).