NeonPulse
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Useless Li metal warning.
Just wanted to give a quick heads up about some lithium metal I recently purchased from eBay seller yaolihong2013. The lithium was purportedly stored
under argon but I call BS on this. The lithium I received was NOT argon stored or even stored under mineral oil. The crap that I got was little white
pellets which had deteriorated to the point of not even being metal anymore they were black and red inside and were rock hard. They reacted with water
barely at all with the release of ammonia. Obviously this is not characteristic of lithium in water. I did buy the same stuff about a year ago and it
was fine so I naturally thought it was legit. I did contact the seller but he wouldn't reply very fast and when I finally did get into contact he
wouldn't hear it. He insisted that his product was primo and perfectly fine and was stored under kerosene. After a lot of back and forth even with
photo evidence and a comparison of the two I eventually got a 40% refund which really wasn't good enough since I still have 25g of absolutely useless
rubbish. But I think it was the best I was going to get.
So just be aware if you purchase so called Li metal argon sealed.
Is not sure what I can really do with it. Any ideas?
 
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elementcollector1
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I've made several purchases from similar Chinese Ebay sellers (which I'm beginning to suspect are all the same person, or at least the same company,
because they all look exactly like that pic but silver), and I've never had problems. I think you may have experienced what can only be scientifically
referred to as an 'air leak.'
You know, during shipping.
Elements Collected:52/87
Latest Acquired: Cl
Next in Line: Nd
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gdflp
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The reaction with water producing ammonia is characteristic of lithium which has been exposed to the atmosphere for extended periods of time. Unlike
the other alkali metals, lithium produces a large amount of lithium nitride, Li<sub>3</sub>N, when exposed to air; as opposed to the
oxides/hydroxides which the other alkali metals form. When this compound reacts with water, it produces ammonia and lithium hydroxide.
I purchased some lithium on eBay a while ago from the same seller(I think, it could have been a different one though) and it came as advertised. I
put it under oxygen-free mineral oil and it hasn't tarnished substantially in the past year or so. I agree with elementcollector, the bag was
probably punctured, allowing air to mix with the argon. This is obviously a defect, the seller should have shipped out a replacement, but dealing
with those Chinese eBay sellers can be like pulling teeth.
[Edited on 3-19-2017 by gdflp]
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JJay
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I would have simply requested a refund via the eBay system without trying to negotiate first, and if the seller didn't agree to a full refund, I'd let
eBay or PayPal deal with them for me. There are some Chinamen who are pleasant to deal with, but some of the ones who sell thousands of items per day
are little better than scammers.
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NeonPulse
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Could the lithium nitride form so quickly in the whole bag right through to the centre? The package came just over two weeks after I ordered it and
the bag it came in could have only had a pinhole at the most perhaps. I think it was shipped out this way and they just didn't care. Looking at their
product reviews at least one other person complained about the metal not being very reactive and basically the same as I got mine. I guess I could
make a bunch of Li hydroxide from it and work from there.
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Jstuyfzand
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Most of the chinese sellers will do EVERYTHING to not get a good review.
I'd leave a review voicing your thoughts and its almost guaranteed that you will get an Email.
And ofcourse try to get a refund via Paypal and Ebay.
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tsathoggua1
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Try going for flat strips on ebay, Tsath' has gotten some flat square pieces that have remained so sealed in a jam (marmalade) jar for many months
untouched in their original bag w/o interference despite being sealed in there, under a mixture of CaCl2 and Mg micronized dust, to scrub both O2 and
H2O at formation.
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woelen
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From exactly the same seller I have purchased lithium metal two times and the product was amazing. Not tarnished at all. I did experiments with it as
well, one of them is making the blue electride compound by dissolving it in ethylene diamine. This worked fine and this is an indication of high
quality lithium.
I agree with others that you had bad luck and that the bag in which the lithium was stored was punctured. Even a tiny hole will lead to complete loss
of your lithium within weeks. It absorbs both oxygen and nitrogen and so it keeps sucking in air. Probably it was punctured already before it was
shipped to you.
I also purchased ampouled lithium (2 grams in ampoule) from that seller yaolihong2013. I received an ampoule with a tiny crack in it, but the lithium
inside was still shiny. I made a picture of the crack and sent that to the seller. They sent a replacement without any questions asked.
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tsathoggua1
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There is some oil-free bagged lithium metal on ebay that comes in square strips about 1.5mm thick and would oxidize in seconds to minutes if allowed
to contact air. Even stripping Li batteries under oil Li has oxidized fast enough to become decrepit and useless rapidly, yet stored after shipping,
and if stored in a screw-capped jaw w/o O2 or H2O (a mixture of CaCl2(anhydrous) and fine magnesium dust or aluminium dust mixed together as powder
homogenized well works if even this is need be, since the bags have not been ordered until needed, sans one, which has been bought and stored for
several months in its shipping bag with its controlled environment, be it whatever gas it may inside its bags. Noble gas of some sort doubtless, so
most likely argon being cheapest.
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diddi
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yaolihong2013 is a rip off arsehole who sells fakes and acts dumb when you try to call him out on it. Cost me cash I never got back.
I bought a Lithium lump at premium price which turned out to be tellurium. His strontium was a horrible lump of oxide and some other elements were
rubbish also.
I ARGUED WITH HIM FOR 12 MONTHS OVER REFUND AND GOT NOTHING
DO NOT BUY FROM THIS ROGUE SELLER
Beginning construction of periodic table display
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diddi
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This is but a tiny part of a 67 emails I received (not counting what I sent), in which I became less conciliatory and more frustrated every week.
YOU:
STILL WAITING - here are a few of your promises (lies) from May this year. check your mail
From:yaolihong2013
To:diddiau
Sent:May-01-15 06:52
New message from: yaolihong2013 Top Rated Seller(22,389YellowShooting Star)
Dear friend. I have sent a refund. See PAYPAL. . Thank you, my friend.
YOU:
there is no refund or credits in my account from you as you have been promising for ages.
I am still waiting
yaolihong2013:
Dear friend. I have sent a refund. See PAYPAL. . Thank you, my friend.
YOU:
please send test email to my paypal address
pete
yaolihong2013:
Dear friends. I do not understand what you mean. Could you say it again? Thank you my friend. .
YOU:
I have not forgotten that you ripped me off.
I will accept USD140 now instead of the UDS 190 you owe me. but this ends now. other wise I will keep hassling you for the full amount you have
promised many times. you are completely in the wrong and you have admitted that and promised to pay back the money
UDS140 Now and I will be happy to not have to deal with you any more.
[Edited on 20-3-2017 by diddi]
Beginning construction of periodic table display
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tsathoggua1
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Te? damn. Coulda been a nasty shock that, in more than a ripoff manner.
Do you still have it? if you do, are you willing to sell any? I've been wanting some tellurium for some time now. Native more so than otherwise, but
Te generally, if you still have it, would willingly buy some if a fair price is put upon it.
Hope you didn't end up with tellurium breath. The virulent stench is legendary, I've even heard 'tellurium breath' being used as an insult.
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