Embodiments of the present invention provide for anion exchange membranes and processes for their manufacture. The anion exchange membranes described herein are made the polymerization product of at least one functional monomer comprising a tertiary amine which is reacted with a quaternizing agent in the polymerization process.

Embodiments provide a filter with a generally rectangular, non-cylindrical profile. The filter may have multiple pleat packs positioned between pleat covers that define regions and flow channels in a cavity of the filter body. The pleat covers have openings that allow a fluid to flow through the multiple pleat packs via parallel flows or series flows. End caps bonded to the body define flow passages for directing the fluid from an inlet to an outlet via the pleat packs for series or parallel filtration. The pleat packs may be made of the same or different materials and may be configured with the same or different heights based on flow requirements. A cage or a separator may be positioned between the pleat packs. The pleat packs may be made of a continuous pleated membrane with bridges defining a space between the pleat packs to accommodate the cage or separator.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

An anion exchange membrane is made by mixing 2 trifluoroMethyl Ketone [nominal] (1.12 g, 4.53 mmol), 1 BiPhenyl (0.70 g, 4.53 mmol), methylene chloride (3.0 mL). trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFSA) (3.0 mL) to produce a pre-polymer. The pre-polymer is then functionalized to produce an anion exchange polymer. The pre-polymer may be functionalized with trimethylamamine in solution with water. The pre-polymer may be imbibed into a porous scaffold material, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene to produce a composite anion exchange membrane.

An ion conductive intercalation membrane is useful to separate anode and cathode compartments in an electrochemical cell and provide ion transport between the anode and cathode compartments. The intercalation membrane does not receive and release electrons during operation of the electrochemical cell. An electric potential and current source is connected to an anode and a cathode disposed in respective anode and cathode compartments to cause oxidation and reduction reactions to occur at the anode and cathode, to cause electrons to flow through an external circuit coupled to the anode and cathode, and to cause ions to transport through the intercalation membrane to maintain charge neutrality within the electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell operates at a current density greater than 25 mA/cm.sup.2 across the intercalation membrane.

The anion exchange membranes exhibit enhanced chemical stability and ion conductivity when compared with traditional styrene-based alkaline anion exchange membranes. A copolymer backbone is polymerized from a reaction medium that includes a diphenylalkylene and an alkadiene. The copolymer includes a plurality of pendant phenyl groups. The diphenyl groups on the polymer backbone are functionalized with one or more haloalkylated precursor substrates. The terminal halide from the precursor substrate can then be substituted with a desired ionic group. The diphenylethylene-based alkaline anion exchange membranes lack the α-hydrogens sharing tertiary carbons with phenyl groups from polystyrene or styrene-based precursor polymers, resulting in higher chemical stability. The ionic groups are also apart from each other by about 3 to 6 carbons in the polymer backbone, enhancing ion conductivity. These membrane are advantageous for use in fuel cells, electrolyzers employing hydrogen, ion separations, etc.

The present disclosure provides an ion-exchange membrane that includes a supporting substrate impregnated with an ion-exchange material. The supporting substrate includes an imprinted non-woven layer, and the imprinting includes a plurality of deformations at a surface density of at least 16 per cm.sup.2. The supporting substrate may lack a reinforcing layer. In some examples, the supporting substrate may include only a single layer of the imprinted non-woven fabric.

Described are ion-exchange membranes that include a porous polymeric membrane and imidazole ion-exchange groups at surfaces of the membrane; ion-exchange membranes and filters that contain the ion-exchange membranes; and methods of using the ion-exchange membranes and filters for separating charged biological molecule from a liquid.

An ion exchange membrane has multiple layers of ionic polymers which each contain substantially different chemical compositions. i.e. varying side chain lengths, varying backbone chemistries or varying ionic functionality. Utilizing completely different chemistries has utility in many applications such as fuel cells where for example, one layer can help reduce fuel crossover through the membrane. Or one layer can impart substantial hydrophobicity to the electrode formulation. Or one layer can selectively diffuse a reactant while excluding others. Also, one chemistry may allow for impartation of significant mechanical properties or chemical resistance to another more ionically conductive ionomer. The ion exchange membrane may include at least two layers with substantially different chemical properties.

A chemical liquid manufacturing apparatus, including a first system and a second system, is provided. The first system includes at least one first filtration medium, selected from a first filter, a first ion exchange membrane and a first ion adsorption membrane, wherein the first system is configured to process a material of at least one time. The second system includes at least one second filtration medium, selected from a second filter, a second ion exchange membrane and a second ion adsorption membrane, wherein the second system is configured for recirculation and to process the material of at least two times.