Disclosed are compositions and methods for alleviating the problem of reaction
of lithium or other alkali or alkaline earth metals with incompatible processing
and operating environments by creating a ionically conductive chemical protective
layer on the lithium or other reactive metal surface. Such a chemically produced
surface layer can protect lithium metal from reacting with oxygen, nitrogen or
moisture in ambient atmosphere thereby allowing the lithium material to be handled
outside of a controlled atmosphere, such as a dry room. Production processes involving
lithium are thereby very considerably simplified. One example of such a process
in the processing of lithium to form negative electrodes for lithium metal batteries.
