Pre-seeding lithium in one-dimensional olivine hosts for lithium extraction
AssigneeThe University of Chicago
InventorsChong Liu, Gangbin Yan
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Abstract
Methods for selectively extracting lithium ions from samples containing lithium ions and sodium ions are provided. The methods take advantage of the phase separation of lithium-containing phases and sodium-containing phases in inorganic intercalation compounds having one-dimensional (1D) olivine crystal structures, which are also referred to herein as hosts. Benefitting from this phase separation, the methods described herein improve the intercalation of lithium ions in the hosts, relative to the intercalation of sodium ions, by pre-seeding the intercalation compounds with lithium to form high-lithium content solid state phases that favor lithium intercalation over sodium intercalation.
Claims19
A method for extracting lithium ions from a sample, the method comprising:
- seeding [010] diffusion channels in an intercalation compound having an olivine crystal structure with lithium ions to form high lithium-content phases in the intercalation compound;
- exposing the lithium-seeded intercalation compound to a sample comprising lithium ions and sodium ions, and lithiating the lithium-seeded intercalation compound via selective intercalation of lithium ions into the lithium-seeded intercalation compound;
- removing the lithiated intercalation compound from the sample;
- and
- extracting lithium ions from the lithiated intercalation compound to form an intercalation compound that is at least partially delithiated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.