Lithium

Water should remove it very effectively, if it's just lithium.

Well I am trying to etch Lithium Cobalt, any suggestions?
Kitty

I'd try something like TMAH or ammonium hydroxide. Cobalt forms an amine complex, and lithium reacts with water.
Cheers,
Phil Hobbs

Thank you ---I will try it.
Kitty

yes i contact mee snipped-for-privacy@entropylyd.net

i wi need specifics as to how much etc contact me @ snipped-for-privacy@entropyltd.net

I do things like this for a living as a consultant. I am not that expensive and guarantee my work. (I don;t think there are any other consultants that do this!!)
My site is
If you are trying to etch a thin film then its important to know details such as how the film was originally deposited and what other compounds or elements are present. You mention lithium Cobalt. Is this a metallic fhin film that has both Li and Co in it? or are these oxides.
Is this a Lithium salt?
Please provide greater detail and send to my email address snipped-for-privacy@entropyltd.net but I would suspect that you could etch the film but should be concerned with its application and the after effects of the etching process. should it render the thin film usable after etching.

be careful with temperature and you might wish to buffer your solution so as to keep the etch rate constant between the two materials. You might differentially etch them and there is a difference between etching and removal. You can probably remove them with NH4 OH but I assume you wish to finesse this and get to a certain depth.
Again let me know and maybe I can help

Thank you for your help. At this time I really want to just completely remove the LiCo from alumina ceramic, to possible reuse them......not sure if its suitable, but worth a shot. The thickness of the thin film is about 20K Angstroms
Thanks Kitty

You might consider ion beam milling for that. The thickness is within range of what is practical.
I have no connection to that web site, just found it on Google. (If I were a spammer, I'd say I "stumbled" across it.)