Electrolytic production of lithium metal
AssigneeRESC Investment LLC
InventorsSteven C. Amendola, Lawrence Swonger, Stefanie Goldman
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Abstract
The present invention provides a process for preparing lithium alloy or lithium metal from lithium carbonate or its equivalent lithium ion source such as spudomene ore without creating toxic byproducts such as halogen gases and a system adopted for such a process.
Claims29
A process for producing lithium from lithium carbonate which comprises:
- a. Providing lithium carbonate and at least an acid selected from sulfuric acid, trifluoromethane sulfonic acid, fluorosulfonic acid, trifluoroboric acid, trifluoroactetic acid, trifluorosilicic acid and kinetically hindered acids in an aqueous solvent wherein lithium anion is dissolved in the solvent forming a lithium feed solution.
- b. Providing an anode in contact with the solution
- c. Providing a liquid metal cathode suitable for electrolysis of lithium, wherein the liquid metal cathode is in contact with the solution forms an electrolysis cell
- d. Providing electric current to the electrolysis cell thereby producing lithium at the liquid metal cathode, forming an alloy with the liquid metal cathode
- e. Optionally isolating lithium metal from the liquid metal cathode
A process for producing lithium metal which comprises an electrolysis of lithium ion in an electrolytic cell comprising a liquid metal cathode and an aqueous solution wherein the aqueous solution containing lithium ion and at least an anion selected from sulfate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, fluorosulfonate, trifluoroborate, trifluoroacetate, trifluorosilicate and kinetically hindered acid anions and wherein the lithium ion is produced from lithium carbonate or its equivalent lithium ion source.
The process of claim 24, wherein the parasitic reaction produces oxygen and hydrogen.
A process for producing lithium which comprises an electrolysis of lithium ion in an electrolytic cell comprising a liquid metal cathode and an aqueous solution wherein the aqueous solution containing lithium ion which is produced spudomene ore or other natural lithium source.
A lithium production system utilizing electrolysis of lithium ion, which comprises
- a. an electrolytic cell comprising a liquid metal cathode and an aqueous solution wherein the aqueous solution containing lithium ion and at least an anion selected from sulfate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, fluorosulfonate, trifluoroborate, trifluoroacetate, trifluorosilicate and kinetically hindered acid anions and wherein the lithium ion is produced from lithium carbonate;
- b. a heating system maintaining the temperature of the cell and liquid metal circulating systems higher than the melting point of the liquid metal cathode but lower than the boiling point of the aqueous solution;
- and
- c. an extraction cell wherein the reduced lithium from the electrolytic cell is extracted from the liquid metal cathode using a suitable extraction solution.
- d. a distillation system for isolating the lithium metal from the extraction solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.