# US 11,076,981 B2 · High purity lithium and associated processes

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- Number: US 11,076,981 B2
- Document ID: US11076981B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/160,522
- Filed: 2018-10-15
- Published: 2019-02-14
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-05-30
- Assignees: Alpha-En Corporation
- Applicants: Alpha-En Corporation
- Inventors: Lawrence Ralph Swonger; Emilie Bodoin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076981B2

## CPC

- A61F 5/566: {Intra-oral devices}
- A61N 1/3629: {in combination with non-electric therapy}
- A61N 1/378: Electrical supply
- C25C 1/02: of light metals
- C25C 7/00: Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells (for the production of aluminium C25C3/06 - C25C3/22)
- C25D 3/42: of light metals
- C25D 17/002: {Cell separation, e.g. membranes, diaphragms}
- C25D 17/10: Electrodes {, e.g. composition, counter electrode}
- H01M 4/0404: {by coating on electrode collectors}
- H01M 4/0452: {from solutions}
- H01M 4/134: Electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
- H01M 4/1395: of electrodes based on metals, Si or alloys
- H01M 4/382: {Lithium (H01M4/405 takes precedence)}
- H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
- H04R 25/606: {acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window}
- A61M 2205/8206: battery-operated
- A61N 1/36: for stimulation
- A61N 1/39: Heart defibrillators
- B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
- H01M 6/14: Cells with non-aqueous electrolyte
- H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
- H04R 2225/31: Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
- H04R 2225/67: Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- C25C: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

High purity lithium and associated products are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a lithium metal product in which the lithium metal is obtained using a selective lithium ion conducting layer. The selective lithium ion conducting layer includes an active metal ion conducting glass or glass ceramic that conducts only lithium ions. The present lithium metal products produced using a selective lithium ion conducting layer advantageously provide for improved lithium purity when compared to commercial lithium metal. Pursuant to the present disclosure, lithium metal having a purity of at least 99.96 weight percent on a metals basis can be obtained.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process of producing lithium hydroxide comprising:
extracting lithium metal from a lithium salt using a selective lithium ion conducting layer that comprises an active metal ion conducting glass or glass-ceramic to provide a lithium metal product having a purity greater than 99.96 weight percent on a metals basis and comprising nanorod structures; and
processing the lithium metal with deionized water to form lithium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide monohydrate that contain less than 0.3 ppm mercury.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An electrode comprising a cathode material produced from a feedstock that comprises lithium hydroxide monohydrate, wherein the lithium hydroxide monohydrate is obtained by a process as recited in claim 1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A battery comprising an electrode produced from a feedstock that comprises lithium hydroxide, wherein the lithium hydroxide is obtained by a process as recited in claim 1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A battery comprising an electrode produced from a feedstock that comprises lithium hydroxide monohydrate, wherein the lithium hydroxide monohydrate is obtained by a process as recited in claim 1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A battery comprising an electrolyte containing lithium hydroxide, wherein the lithium hydroxide is obtained by a process as recited in claim 1.