Electrolytic method for the production of lithium using a lithium-amalgam electrode
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Castro Valley, CA
- Danville, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863358
- Patent Number(s):
- 4156635
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C25 - ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES C25C - PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 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; /205/
Citation Formats
Cooper, John F, Krikorian, Oscar H, and Homsy, Robert V. Electrolytic method for the production of lithium using a lithium-amalgam electrode. United States: N. p., 1979.
Web.
Cooper, John F, Krikorian, Oscar H, & Homsy, Robert V. Electrolytic method for the production of lithium using a lithium-amalgam electrode. United States.
Cooper, John F, Krikorian, Oscar H, and Homsy, Robert V. Mon .
"Electrolytic method for the production of lithium using a lithium-amalgam electrode". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863358.
@article{osti_863358,
title = {Electrolytic method for the production of lithium using a lithium-amalgam electrode},
author = {Cooper, John F and Krikorian, Oscar H and Homsy, Robert V},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1979},
month = {1}
}