Embodiments relate to methods, systems And apparatus tor generating lithium from brine. The brine is heated in a first vessel to greater than 260 C. and CO.sub.2 gas is injected mixing with the brine such that the CO.sub.2/P is greater than 18 g/atm. The brine is held at greater than 18 g/atm for longer than 20 minutes so that any impurities precipitate as solids leaving only lithium ions and chlorine ions. The brine is moved to a second vessel screening out solid precipitates leaving a brine containing only chlorine and lithium. CO.sub.2 gas is injected and mixed with the brine at 260 C. so that the CO.sub.2/P is greater than 200 g/atm. The brine is held at greater than 200 g/atm for longer than 20 minutes suppressing the chlorine as dissolved ions while lithium precipitates out as lithium carbonate. The lithium carbonate precipitate is removed from the brine solution.

Embodiments relate to methods, systems And apparatus tor generating lithium from brine. The brine is heated in a first vessel to greater than 260 C. and CO.sub.2 gas is injected mixing with the brine such that the CO.sub.2/P is greater than 18 g/atm. The brine is held at greater than 18 g/atm for longer than 20 minutes so that any impurities precipitate as solids leaving only lithium ions and chlorine ions. The brine is moved to a second vessel screening out solid precipitates leaving a brine containing only chlorine and lithium. CO.sub.2 gas is injected and mixed with the brine at 260 C. so that the CO.sub.2/P is greater than 200 g/atm. The brine is held at greater than 200 g/atm for longer than 20 minutes suppressing the chlorine as dissolved ions while lithium precipitates out as lithium carbonate. The lithium carbonate precipitate is removed from the brine solution.

Sodium-tin and sodium-tin-lead compositions have been identified and created that exhibit better reactivity characteristics (i.e., are less reactive) than sodium metal under the same conditions, making these compositions safer alternatives to sodium metal for use as a coolant. These compositions include compositions having at least 90% sodium (Na), from 0-10% lead (Pb) and the balance being tin (Sn).

A negative electrode for an electrical device includes: a current collector; and an electrode layer containing a negative electrode active material, an electrically-conductive auxiliary agent and a binder and formed on a surface of the current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material contains an alloy represented by a following formula (1): Si.sub.xZn.sub.yM.sub.zA.sub.a (in the formula (1) M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of V, Sn, Al, C and combinations thereof, A is inevitable impurity, and x, y, z and a represent mass percent values and satisfy 0<x<100, 0<y<100, 0<z<100, 0a<0.5 and x+y+z+a=100), and elongation () of the electrode layer is 1.29<<1.70%.

A negative electrode for an electrical device includes: a current collector; and an electrode layer containing a negative electrode active material, an electrically-conductive auxiliary agent and a binder and formed on a surface of the current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material contains an alloy represented by a following formula (1): Si.sub.xZn.sub.yM.sub.zA.sub.a (in the formula (1) M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of V, Sn, Al, C and combinations thereof, A is inevitable impurity, and x, y, z and a represent mass percent values and satisfy 0<x<100, 0<y<100, 0<z<100, 0a<0.5 and x+y+z+a=100), and elongation () of the electrode layer is 1.29<<1.70%.

A method of forming a near field transducer (NFT) layer, the method including depositing a film of a primary element, the film having a film thickness and a film expanse; and implanting at least one secondary element into the primary element, wherein the NFT layer includes the film of the primary element doped with the at least one secondary element.

Identifying a stable phase of a binary alloy comprising a solute element and a solvent element. In one example, at least two thermodynamic parameters associated with grain growth and phase separation of the binary alloy are determined, and the stable phase of the binary alloy is identified based on the first thermodynamic parameter and the second thermodynamic parameter, wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

Identifying a stable phase of a binary alloy comprising a solute element and a solvent element. In one example, at least two thermodynamic parameters associated with grain growth and phase separation of the binary alloy are determined, and the stable phase of the binary alloy is identified based on the first thermodynamic parameter and the second thermodynamic parameter, wherein the stable phase is one of a stable nanocrystalline phase, a metastable nanocrystalline phase, and a non-nanocrystalline phase.

A rechargeable battery cell has an organic-liquid electrolyte contacting a dendrite free alkali-metal anode. The alkali-metal anode may be a liquid at the operating temperature that is immobilized by absorption into a porous membrane. The alkali-metal anode may be a solid that wets a porous-membrane separator, where the contact between the solid alkali-metal anode and the liquid electrolyte is at micropores or nanopores in the porous-membrane separator. The use of a dendrite-free solid lithium cell was demonstrated in a symmetric cell with a porous cellulose-based separator membrane. A K.sup.+-ion rechargeable cell was demonstrated with a liquid KNa alloy anode immobilized in a porous carbon membrane using an organic-liquid electrolyte with a Celgard or glass-fiber separator.

A rechargeable battery cell has an organic-liquid electrolyte contacting a dendrite free alkali-metal anode. The alkali-metal anode may be a liquid at the operating temperature that is immobilized by absorption into a porous membrane. The alkali-metal anode may be a solid that wets a porous-membrane separator, where the contact between the solid alkali-metal anode and the liquid electrolyte is at micropores or nanopores in the porous-membrane separator. The use of a dendrite-free solid lithium cell was demonstrated in a symmetric cell with a porous cellulose-based separator membrane. A K.sup.+-ion rechargeable cell was demonstrated with a liquid KNa alloy anode immobilized in a porous carbon membrane using an organic-liquid electrolyte with a Celgard or glass-fiber separator.