Low temperature lithium production

Patent · 21 July 2020

OSTI ID:1735046

Freiderich, John W.

A method and electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a low temperature. The method includes combining (i) phenyl trihaloalkyl sulfone and (ii) an organic cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)imide or organic cation bis(trihalosulfonyl)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 ion species in the 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. %.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: NA0001942
• Assignee: Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Patent Number(s): 10,718,057
• Application Number: 15/925,007
• OSTI ID: 1735046
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY