Lithium metal recovery and synthesis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020106127-A1
Application number	US-201816145364-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A process and system for creating a lithium ion anolyte from lithium alloys. Metal and lithium alloys are processed to remove the metal with lithium from the alloy remaining. A lithium ion anolyte formed may be used in a process to form lithium metal. Alternatively, a process and system for recovering lithium from sources such as lithium alloys and lithium metal oxides and other feedstock such as recycled batteries into a thin lithium metal film via electrodeposition in an organic electrolyte contacting both anode (holder for lithium source) and cathode (substrate for lithium deposition) in a single-compartment electrolysis cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of producing a lithium ion containing anolyte comprising:
dispersing lithium-M powder in aqueous solvent; forming a lithium-ion aqueous solution with M dispersed therein; filtering the lithium-ion aqueous solution, removing the M; and increasing the concentration of lithium ions in the filtered lithium-ion aqueous solution; where M is selected from a group consisting of a metal and a metal oxide.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium-aluminum (Li—Al), lithium-tin (Li—Sn), lithium-antimony (Li—Sb), lithium-bismuth (Li—Bi), lithium-silicon (Li—Si), lithium-gold (Li—Au), lithium-mercury (Li—Hg), lithium-thallium (Li—Tl), lithium lead (Li—Pb), and lithium-aluminum-copper (Li—Al—Cu) and wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium tin oxide, lithium iron oxide (LFP), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium copper oxide, lithium chromium oxides, lithium manganese oxides, lithium nickel oxides, lithium molybdenum oxides, and lithium titanium-based oxides (TiO 2 , Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 ).

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after filter, collecting solid M.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein M is aluminum.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the powder comprises nanopowder or micropowder of a lithium-M material and forming the lithium-M powder.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium-ion aqueous solution is free from surfactants.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to dispersing the lithium-M powder, cleaning the lithium-M.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lithium-ion containing solution is heated to up to 100° C. prior to filtering.

9 . A method of producing a lithium ion containing anolyte comprising:
dissolving lithium-M alloy in an aqueous acid bath, forming an aqueous acidic solution; and removing M from the aqueous acidic solution.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising, after removal of M, increasing the concentration of lithium ions in the filtered lithium-ion aqueous acid solution

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein removing M comprises:
selectively precipitate M from the aqueous acidic solution; and filtering the aqueous acidic solution, removing precipitated M.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein selective precipitation is by addition of a precipitating agent.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the metal is selected from a group consisting of lithium-aluminum (Li—Al), lithium-tin (Li—Sn), lithium-antimony (Li—Sb), lithium-bismuth (Li—Bi), lithium-silicon (Li—Si), lithium-gold (Li—Au), lithium-mercury (Li—Hg), lithium-thallium (Li—Tl), lithium lead (Li—Pb), and lithium-aluminum-copper (Li—Al—Cu) and wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of lithium tin oxide, lithium iron oxide (LFP), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium copper oxide, lithium chromium oxides, lithium manganese oxides, lithium nickel oxides, lithium molybdenum oxides, and lithium titanium-based oxides (TiO 2 , Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 ).

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein removing M comprises selectively removing M by electrodeionization.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein removing M comprises passing the aqueous solution through a lithium-ion conducting membrane.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous acid bath comprises an acid selected from nitric acid (HNO 3 ) and sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ).

17 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous acid bath has a pH of 1-3.

18 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous acid bath has a pH of 2-4 and a temperature of 30-100° C.

19 . A method of producing a lithium metal from lithium feedstock, lithium-M, the method comprising:
placing the lithium feedstock in a porous anode container; contacting the lithium feedstock with electrolyte, forming a cell comprising the anode and lithium feedstock and a cathode in communication with a galvanostat source; applying a current to an electrolytic cell comprising a cell having a cathode and an anode associated with an electrolyte; flowing electrons from the anode to the cathode; reducing lithium cations at the cathode; and depositing lithium metal on the cathode; where M is selected from a group consisting of a metal and a metal oxide.

Assignees

• Uchicago Argonne Llc

Inventors

• Ignacio De Leon Patricia Anne
• Hryn John N
• Tang Li
• Barry Edward F
• Arenas Daniel Yoav

Classifications

• C22B3/06

  in inorganic acid solutions {, e.g. with acids generated in situ; in inorganic salt solutions other than ammonium salt solutions} · CPC title

• C22B26/12

  Obtaining lithium · CPC title

• C22B3/22

  by physical processes, e.g. by filtration, by magnetic means {, or by thermal decomposition} (treatment or purification of solutions by liquid-liquid extraction C22B3/26) · CPC title

• C25C1/02 Primary

  of light metals · CPC title

• H01M10/0561 Primary

  the electrolyte being constituted of inorganic materials only · CPC title