Vertically integrated pure lithium metal production and lithium battery production

A method of manufacturing a lithium electrode, comprising:

• (1) providing an electrolytic cell, the electrolytic cell including:
• a first chamber containing a positive electrode, and an aqueous lithium salt solution in contact with the positive electrode;
• a second chamber containing a conductive substrate configured as a negative electrode, the conductive substrate being stationary in the chamber during lithium metal electrodeposition, a lithium ion selective membrane separating the first chamber from the second chamber, and a non-aqueous electrolyte disposed between the conductive substrate and the lithium ion selective membrane, physically contacting both the conductive substrate and the lithium ion selective membrane;
• the electrolytic cell being configured to allow passage of lithium ions through the lithium ion selective membrane between the first and the second chambers, and to preclude passage of other chemical species between the first and the second chambers;
• (2) blanketing the electrolytic cell with a blanketing atmosphere, the blanketing atmosphere being substantially free of lithium reactive components;
• and
• (3) applying a variable voltage in order to maintain a constant current across the negative electrode and the positive electrode, thereby causing lithium ions to cross from the first chamber to the second chamber, through the lithium ion selective membrane and the non-aqueous electrolyte, and electrodeposit a first layer of lithium onto the conductive substrate, thereby forming the lithium electrode, the first layer of lithium being devoid of nanorods and having an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of the first layer of lithium bonded to the conductive substrate;
• wherein the constant current is between about 10 mA/cm2 and about 50 mA/cm2, and wherein the constant current is applied for a time between about 1 minute and about 60 minutes;
• wherein as the first layer of lithium is formed, the first layer of lithium displaces non-aqueous electrolyte from a space between the conductive substrate and the lithium ion-selective membrane, thereby bonding the inner face of first layer of lithium to the conductive substrate and the outer face of the first layer of lithium to the ion selective membrane, thereby forming a lithium metal electrode comprising the conductive substrate and the first layer of lithium metal, with the inner face of the first layer of lithium bonded to the conductive substrate, and the outer face of the first layer of lithium bonded to the lithium ion-selective membrane, which is configured to function as a solid state electrolyte when the lithium metal electrode is incorporated into a galvanic cell.