Chelate Resin Purification of Lithium Hydroxide From Cation Impurities

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for manufacturing lithium hydroxide result in cation impurities such as calcium and magnesium, reducing the purity of lithium hydroxide, and there is a need for a method to produce high-purity lithium hydroxide without sodium ion contamination and to control impurity concentrations to trace levels.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a series of steps using a chelate resin to exchange impurity ions with hydrogen ions, followed by acid solutions to detach impurities, including a binding acid solution, distilled water to remove residual acid, and a separating acid solution to recover the resin, effectively removing cation impurities and controlling calcium ion concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional methods are used to manufacture lithium hydroxide, then production can proceed with existing processes, but cation impurities such as calcium and magnesium remain in the lithium hydroxide solution, reducing purity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidpurity of lithium hydroxide
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a chelate resin, which is a porous material with high surface area and numerous active chelating sites. The porous structure allows the resin to efficiently capture cation impurities from the lithium hydroxide solution while maintaining good flow characteristics and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a chelate resin that combines organic polymer matrix with chelating functional groups (such as iminodiacetic acid groups). This composite structure provides both mechanical stability for easy handling and high selectivity for impurity removal, achieving both ease of manufacture and high purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 method achieves high-purity lithium hydroxide production by removing cation impurities and controlling calcium ion concentration to trace levels, enhancing the purity and quality of lithium hydroxide.

Implementation Method 1

during the passing of the lithium hydroxide solution through the chelate resin, ions contained in the impurities are exchanged with ions bound to the chelate resin and become bound to the chelate resin

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon Exchange: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 2

during the passing of the lithium hydroxide solution through the chelate resin, ions contained in the impurities exchange with hydrogen ions bound to the chelate resin

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon Exchange: Ion Exchange

Data Source

PatentEP4588893A1Method for manufacturing lithium hydroxide
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 KOREA ZINC CO LTD
  • EP4588893A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4588893A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4588893A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing lithium hydroxide. Specifically, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing lithium hydroxide comprises: a solution preparation step of preparing a lithium hydroxide solution containing impurities and lithium ions; a binding acid solution passage step of passing a binding acid solution through the chelate resin to allow hydrogen ions to bind to the chelate resin; a distilled water passage step of passing distilled water through the chelate resin to remove remaining binding acid solution from the chelate resin; a lithium hydroxide solution passage step of passing the lithium hydroxide solution through a chelate resin to allow ions contained in the impurities to bind to the chelate resin; and a separating acid solution passage step of passing a separating acid solution through the impurity-bound chelate resin to detach the impurities bound to the chelate from the chelate resin.