Method of manufacturing lithium nitride
Provided is a method of manufacturing lithium nitride including: a step (A) of preparing a lithium member in which inorganic particles are embedded; and a step (B) of nitriding the lithium member by bringing the lithium member into contact with nitrogen in a state where the inorganic particles are embedded.
1 . A method of manufacturing lithium nitride, the method comprising:
providing a metallic lithium in a shape of a foil;
providing inorganic particles of lithium nitride powder;
a step (A) of applying the inorganic particles on a surface of the metallic lithium, followed by pressing the surface to prepare a lithium member in which the inorganic particles are embedded such that the inorganic particles are exposed on the surface of the metallic lithium; and
a step (B) of nitriding the lithium member by bringing the lithium member into contact with nitrogen, so as to make lithium nitride from the metallic lithium.
2 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 , wherein in the step (B), a nitriding origin region is formed by nitriding a periphery of a region where the inorganic particles are embedded, a nitrided region extends from the nitriding origin region as a base point to a periphery of the nitriding origin region, and finally entirety of the lithium member is nitrided.
3 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein the inorganic particles are inorganic particles including one kind or two or more kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of lithium, phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen.
4 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein when a total amount of the inorganic particles and the lithium member is represented by 100 mass %,
an amount of the inorganic particles embedded is 0.1 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less.
5 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein in the step (B), the lithium member is nitrided in a nitrogen atmosphere where a dew point is lower than −15° C.
6 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein in the step (B), the lithium member is heated using a local heating unit capable of locally heating the lithium member.
7 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 6 ,
wherein the local heating unit includes at least one heating unit selected from conductive heat transfer heating and radiant heat transfer heating.
8 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 6 ,
wherein a heating temperature of the heating unit in the step (B) is 30° C. or higher.
9 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein an atmosphere temperature in the step (B) is 20° C. or higher and 40° C. or lower.
10 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein an atmosphere temperature in the step (B) is controlled using a heat exchanger.
11 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein a real temperature of the lithium member in the step (B) is 30° C. or higher.
12 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 ,
wherein a thickness of the metallic lithium foil is 3 mm or less.
13 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 , the method further comprising:
a step (C) of crushing the nitrided lithium member into powder after the step (B).
14 . The method of manufacturing lithium nitride according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic lithium in the shape of the foil is entirely nitrided.