Low temperature lithium production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466375-B1
Application number	US-202017002834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 26, 2020
Priority date	Aug 26, 2020
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A method and electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a low temperature. The method includes combining (i) phenyl trihaloalkyl sulfone and (ii) an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imidic acid, or an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) about 10:90 to about 60:40 to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte composition. A lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, Li2O and Li2CO3 is dissolved in the electrolyte composition to provide a soluble lithium doped electrolyte composition. Power is applied to the electrolyte composition to form lithium metal on a cathode of an electrolysis cell. The lithium metal is separated from the cathode has a purity of at least about 95 wt. %.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing lithium metal in an electrolysis cell, the method comprising the steps of:
combining (i) phenyl trihaloalkyl sulfone and (ii) an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imidic acid, or an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) of about 10:90 to about 60:40 to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte composition,
dissolving a lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, Li 2 O and Li 2 CO 3 in the electrolyte composition to provide a lithium doped electrolyte composition,
applying power to the electrolysis cell to form lithium metal on a cathode of an electrolysis cell,
separating lithium metal from the cathode, wherein the lithium metal on the cathode has a purity of at least about 95 wt. %.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte composition further comprises a zwitterion or internal salt compound.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the zwitterion comprises a (carboxyalkyl)trialkyl ammonium compound.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein heat is applied to the electrolyte composition at a temperature ranging from about 30° to less than about 100° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrolysis cell comprises an anode compartment, a cathode compartment and a separator between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a weight ratio of soluble lithium ion species to electrolyte composition in the cathode compartment ranges from about 10:60 to about 10:25.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the separator is selected from the group consisting of a fritted glass separator, a microporous membrane, and a salt bridge.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic cation is selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a metalloid, a transition metal, and a lanthanide.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the halo ion is a fluoride ion.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alkyl group is a methyl group.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein power is applied to the anode and cathode at a current density ranging from about 0.1 mA/cm2 to about 0.83 mA/cm2.

12. An electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a temperature below about 100° C. comprising:
a cathode compartment comprising a cathode,
an anode compartment comprising an anode,
a separator between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment
a non-aqueous electrolyte composition in the anode and cathode compartments comprising (i) phenyl trihaloalkyl sulfone and (ii) an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imidic acid, or an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) of about 10:90 to about 60:40, wherein the electrolyte composition further comprises a lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, Li2O and Li2CO3 dissolved in the electrolyte composition to provide a lithium doped electrolyte composition,
whereby power applied to the anode and cathode forms lithium metal on the cathode of the electrolysis cell with a lithium metal purity of greater than 95 wt. %.

13. The electrolysis cell of claim 12 , wherein a weight ratio of soluble lithium ion species to electrolyte composition in the cathode compartment ranges from about 10:60 to about 10:25.

14. The electrolysis cell of claim 12 , wherein the electrolyte composition further comprises a (carboxyalkyl)trialkyl ammonium compound.

15. The electrolysis cell of claim 12 , wherein the separator is selected from the group consisting of a fritted glass separator, a microporous membrane, and a salt bridge.

16. The electrolysis cell of claim 12 , wherein the inorganic cation is selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a metalloid, a transition metal, and a lanthanide.

17. The electrolysis cell of claim 12 , wherein the halo ion is a fluoride ion.

18. The electrolysis cell of claim 12 , wherein the alkyl group is a methyl group.

Assignees

• Cons Nuclear Security Llc

Inventors

• Freiderich John W

Classifications

• C25C7/04 Primary

  Diaphragms; Spacing elements · CPC title

• C25C1/02 Primary

  of light metals · CPC title