Method and electrode for electrochemical recovery of lithium value from aqueous solution

Abstract

A novel and efficient electrochemical method is disclosed for the recovery of lithium value from an aqueous solution containing lithium ions in a relatively low concentration together with ions of various kinds of other metallic impurity elements. The method comprises electrochemical selective adsorption of lithium ions from the aqueous solution on to a specific working electrode by applying a DC voltage of a relatively low DC voltage of 0.1-0.4 volt versus a saturated calomel electrode to the working electrode as the cathode opposed to a counterelectrode as the anode and then desorption of the lithium ions therefrom by applying a DC voltage of 0.7-1.2 volts versus a saturated calomel electrode to the lithium-bearing working electrode as the anode opposed to a counterelectrode as the cathode in an aqueous desorption medium containing an electrolyte such as a lithium salt. At least the surface layer of the working electrode is formed from an oxide of manganese prepared by admixing a manganese compound with a limited amount of a lithium or magnesium compound, converting the mixture into oxides by a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere and then removing the lithium or magnesium therefrom by leaching in an acid solution or by an electrochemical means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.