Molten Salt Lithium Extraction From Mixed Waste Glass
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high demand for lithium, driven by electric vehicles and glass manufacturing, has led to strained production rates and increased costs, necessitating efficient recycling methods for lithium from waste glass, which current techniques struggle with due to contamination and impurities.
Innovation Solution
A method involving submerging waste glass in a molten salt bath at specific temperatures to extract lithium ions through ion exchange, followed by precipitation and separation, allowing for selective lithium recovery with minimal contamination and equipment compatibility with existing manufacturing facilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current recycling techniques are used to extract lithium from waste glass, then lithium recovery is attempted, but contamination and impurities reduce extraction efficiency and increase complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the extraction medium by using molten salt instead of conventional aqueous solutions. This parameter change enables direct extraction of lithium from glass without complex sorting, as the molten salt can penetrate and react with the glass matrix at high temperatures, achieving high extraction efficiency while simplifying the overall process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition by heating the salt to molten state (liquid phase) for extraction, then cooling it to solidify for separation. This phase transition enables the salt to penetrate glass structures effectively at high temperature, then allows easy separation by solidification, eliminating the need for complex sorting and purification equipment
2Quantity of substance
If conventional lithium extraction methods are used, then lithium is recovered, but the process requires complex sorting and purification equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts lithium directly from waste glass using molten salt that selectively reacts with and dissolves lithium compounds. The salt is then cooled and filtered to separate the extracted lithium, achieving effective lithium recovery without complex sorting or purification equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The molten salt acts as an intermediary medium that facilitates lithium extraction from glass. It penetrates the glass structure, selectively reacts with lithium compounds, and transports them to the liquid phase for easy separation, replacing complex purification equipment with a simple chemical intermediary
3Loss of substance
If lithium extraction from waste glass is not implemented, then current material supply is maintained, but lithium shortage and high costs continue
Solution Approach 1:
By changing to high-temperature molten salt extraction, the process achieves effective lithium recovery from glass that would otherwise be wasted. The parameter change to molten state enables penetration and reaction with glass matrix, making the recycling process both effective and relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The molten salt system exhibits self-service characteristics where the salt automatically penetrates and extracts lithium from glass through thermal and chemical processes. The extraction, separation, and recovery occur through the inherent properties of the molten salt system without requiring complex external equipment or multiple processing stages
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
This method achieves high lithium extraction efficiency with reduced contamination, eliminating the need for complex sorting and enabling scalable recycling of lithium from mixed composition glass wastes, thus addressing the material shortage and cost issues.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the glass with a molten salt bath for a duration of time, wherein the glass comprises lithium, and the contacting the glass with the molten salt bath for the duration of time may extract at least 40% of the lithium metal ions from the glass
Implementation Method 2
precipitating lithium metal ions from the molten salt bath to produce a solid precipitated lithium salt
Data Source
AI summary
A method for extracting lithium metal ions from glass includes contacting the glass with a molten salt bath for a duration of time, wherein the glass includes lithium and the contacting the glass with the molten salt bath for the duration of time extracts at least 40% of the lithium metal ions from the glass. The method further includes removing residual solids from the molten salt bath, wherein the residual solids include residual glass having a reduced concentration of lithium. The method further includes precipitating lithium metal ions from the molten salt bath to produce a solid precipitated lithium salt and separating the precipitated lithium salt from the molten salt bath.