Selective Metal Capture from Polymetallic Liquids Using CO2 and Amines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for capturing and separating strategic metals from polymetallic samples are expensive, environmentally unfriendly, or not optimized for industrial scale, and do not yield chemical elements in a convenient form suitable for large-scale applications like electric vehicle batteries.
Innovation Solution
A process using combinations of CO2, amines, and copper ions under mild conditions to selectively precipitate and recover chemical elements such as iron, aluminum, manganese, nickel, and cobalt from a liquid sample, resulting in carbonate, hydroxide, or oxide salts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid-liquid extraction with synthetic surfactant is used, then metal capture is achieved, but cost increases and yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive synthetic surfactants with inexpensive, biodegradable natural surfactants derived from plant oils or animal fats. These natural surfactants achieve effective metal capture without the high costs associated with synthetic alternatives, directly resolving the contradiction between capture effectiveness and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters such as pH, temperature, and surfactant concentration to maximize metal capture efficiency using natural surfactants. By carefully controlling these parameters, the process achieves high yield and effectiveness while maintaining low cost, addressing both sides of the contradiction.
2Manufacturing precision
If affinity chromatography with strong acidic or basic solutions is used, then selective metal separation is achieved, but environmental compatibility worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a mild, environmentally friendly extraction environment by using natural surfactants in aqueous solutions with controlled pH. This eliminates the need for strong acidic or basic solutions, achieving selective metal separation without generating harmful effluents, thus resolving the contradiction between separation precision and environmental compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts potentially harmful strong acids or bases into benign natural surfactant systems. By using environmentally compatible extraction media, the process achieves effective metal separation while transforming the harmful aspect into a beneficial green chemistry approach.
3Ease of manufacture
If WO 2014/188115 method is used, then economic advantages are achieved, but industrial scale optimization is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex polymetallic mixture into separate metal fractions through sequential extraction steps using different natural surfactants. This segmentation approach enables efficient processing at industrial scale while maintaining economic advantages, as each metal can be captured and recovered independently in optimized batches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary classification and separation of metals into different groups before final recovery. This preliminary action simplifies subsequent processing steps and enables better optimization for industrial scale production, bridging the gap between economic feasibility and industrial efficiency.
4Productivity
If WO 2017/191042 segmented flow process is used, then continuous metal capture is achieved, but additional conversion steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses natural surfactants that simultaneously achieve continuous metal capture and produce metals in directly marketable forms. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional conversion steps, as the extracted metals are already in suitable commercial forms, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and process complexity.
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 process efficiently captures and recovers multiple chemical elements in a marketable form, optimizing techno-economic features and addressing the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
contacting said liquid sample with at least one amine and optionally CO2, so as to obtain a first liquid phase, M1 in a solid form
Implementation Method 2
selective precipitations... M1 in a solid form... recovering said M1 in a solid form
Implementation Method 3
contacting said first liquid phase with copper ions, so as to obtain a second liquid phase... M3 in a solid form
Implementation Method 4
contacting said second liquid phase with a carbonate and optionally a hydroxide, so as to obtain a third liquid phase, M3 in a solid form
Implementation Method 5
resulting in carbonate, hydroxide, or oxide salts
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for selectively capturing chemical elements from a polymetallic liquid sample.