What is "lithium hexafluorophosphate"

n. (context inorganic compound English) The salt LiPF₆ that is used as an electrolyte in lithium battery

Lithium hexafluorophosphate is an inorganic compound with the formula Li PF. It is a white crystalline powder. It is used in commercial secondary batteries, an application that exploits its high solubility in nonpolar solvents. Specifically, solutions of lithium hexafluorophosphate in propylene carbonate and dimethoxyethane serve as an electrolyte in lithium batteries. This application also exploits the inertness of the hexafluorophosphate anion toward strong reducing agents, such as lithium metal.

The salt is relatively stable thermally, but loses 50% weight at 200 °C (392 °F). In nonaqueous solutions hydrolysis is noticeable near 70 °C (158 °F) according to the following equation:

LiPF also catalyses the tetrahydropyranylation of tertiary alcohols.