Electrolytic method for the production of lithium using a lithium-amalgam electrode

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:863358

Cooper, John F ^[1]; Krikorian, Oscar H ^[2]; Homsy, Robert V ^[3]

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1. Castro Valley, CA
2. Danville, CA
3. Oakland, CA

A method for recovering lithium from its molten amalgam by electrolysis of the amalgam in an electrolytic cell containing as a molten electrolyte a fused-salt consisting essentially of a mixture of two or more alkali metal halides, preferably alkali metal halides selected from lithium iodide, lithium chloride, potassium iodide and potassium chloride. A particularly suitable molten electrolyte is a fused-salt consisting essentially of a mixture of at least three components obtained by modifying an eutectic mixture of LiI-KI by the addition of a minor amount of one or more alkali metal halides. The lithium-amalgam fused-salt cell may be used in an electrolytic system for recovering lithium from an aqueous solution of a lithium compound, wherein electrolysis of the aqueous solution in an aqueous cell in the presence of a mercury cathode produces a lithium amalgam. The present method is particularly useful for the regeneration of lithium from the aqueous reaction products of a lithium-water-air battery.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4156635
• OSTI ID: 863358
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

electrolytic
method
production
lithium
lithium-amalgam
electrode
recovering
molten
amalgam
electrolysis
cell
containing
electrolyte
fused-salt
consisting
essentially
mixture
alkali
metal
halides
preferably
selected
iodide
chloride
potassium
particularly
suitable
components
obtained
modifying
eutectic
lii-ki
addition
minor
amount
aqueous
solution
compound
presence
mercury
cathode
produces
useful
regeneration
reaction
products
lithium-water-air
battery
lithium chloride
metal halides
particularly suitable
molten electrolyte
electrolytic cell
consisting essentially
alkali metal
aqueous solution
particularly useful
metal halide
reaction product
reaction products
cell containing
minor amount
potassium chloride
aqueous reaction
lithium iodide
lithium compound
cathode produces
eutectic mixture
electrolytic method
cell contain
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