LAMP Ceramic for Selective Sodium Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for removing sodium cations from solutions containing other alkali and earth alkali metal cations are costly, wasteful, and inefficient, particularly in applications requiring high purity lithium salts for lithium-ion batteries.
Innovation Solution
The use of calcinated mixed oxide ceramic (CMOC) materials with a specific stoichiometry, referred to as LAMP, which selectively absorbs sodium cations while releasing lithium cations, thereby allowing for the purification of lithium salts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ion-exchange resins are used to remove sodium cations, then sodium removal is achieved, but binding affinity is low and similar for multiple cations making separation costly and wasteful
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the absorption material by using calcinated mixed oxide ceramic (CMOC) with specific stoichiometry (Li1+x+y+zAlxM2-xP3-yO12) instead of conventional ion-exchange resins. This material composition change enables high selectivity for sodium cations over lithium, potassium, and other cations, achieving reliable separation without the waste problems of conventional resins that have similar binding affinities for multiple cations.
2Reliability
If lithium aluminate intercalates are used for separation, then size exclusion works for lithium, but separation efficiency between sodium and lithium is low and high acid quantities are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters from lithium aluminate intercalates to calcinated mixed oxide ceramic with specific stoichiometry. This new material achieves high separation efficiency for both lithium and sodium cations without requiring high acid quantities for regeneration, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable separation.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional ion-exchange resins are used, then sodium cations can be removed, but many purification and regeneration steps are required increasing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the absorption material to CMOC with specific stoichiometry, which provides high selectivity and binding affinity for sodium cations. This enables achieving high purity in fewer purification steps compared to conventional resins, thereby improving process efficiency while maintaining manufacturing precision.
4Reliability
If absorption materials with high affinity for other cations are used, then those cations are preferentially absorbed, but sodium capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material composition to CMOC with specific stoichiometry (Li1+x+y+zAlxM2-xP3-yO12) where the lithium content and aluminum content are optimized. This parameter optimization ensures high selectivity for sodium cations while maintaining high sodium capacity, preventing the displacement problem that occurs with materials having high affinity for other cations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The LAMP material effectively and selectively removes sodium cations from complex mixtures, achieving high purity lithium salts with reduced operational costs and minimal waste generation, making it suitable for lithium-ion battery applications.
Implementation Method 1
sodium cations may be removed by ion-exchange resins that consist of a polymer functionalized with carboxylate or sulphonate groups... The binding affinity depends on the degree of crosslinking and might decrease in the order: Ba 2+ Ca 2+ Cd 2+ Mg 2+ K + NH 4 + Na + H + Li +
Implementation Method 2
LAI is a composite material of lithium aluminate and a polymeric binder. The working principle is based on size-excluding pores that allow the intercalation of lithium only.
Data Source
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AI summary
The object of this invention was development of a method for the selective absorption of sodium cations in presence of foreign alkali or earth alkali cations with minimal costs and instrumental effort. The process must be scalable, and sodium traces must be sufficiently low for Li-ion battery purposes or other sodium-sensitive applications. It has been found that a certain class of calcinated mixed oxide ceramic material can solve the task. This material is named LAMP herein and defined below. Said LAMP material can be used as an absorber to remove Na+ selectively from a cation containing medium. LAMP stands for the stoichiometry Li1+x+y+zAlxM2-xP3-yO12 where 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 and 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.4 and 0 ≤ z ≤ 0.1 and where M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Si, Ge.