A proton-conductive membrane includes a hydrophobic organic polymer and a hydrophilic proton-conductive component. The hydrophilic proton-conductive component includes one of an urea-containing material and a complex formed from an acidic substance and a basic substance, and a combination thereof. The hydrophilic proton-conductive component is present in an amount ranging from 23 parts by weight to 70 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the proton-conductive membrane.

Methods for regenerating poisoned salt bath comprising providing a salt bath comprising at least one of KNO.sub.3 and NaNO.sub.3, providing an ion-exchangeable substrate comprising lithium cations, contacting at least a portion of the ion-exchangeable substrate with the salt bath, whereby lithium cations in the salt bath diffuse from the ion-exchangeable substrate and are dissolved in the salt bath, and selectively precipitating dissolved lithium cations from the salt bath using phosphate salt. The methods further include preventing or reducing the formation of surface defects in the ion-exchangeable substrate by preventing or reducing the formation of crystals on the surface of the ion-exchangeable substrate upon removal from the salt bath.

Methods for regenerating poisoned salt bath comprising providing a salt bath comprising at least one of KNO.sub.3 and NaNO.sub.3, providing an ion-exchangeable substrate comprising lithium cations, contacting at least a portion of the ion-exchangeable substrate with the salt bath, whereby lithium cations in the salt bath diffuse from the ion-exchangeable substrate and are dissolved in the salt bath, and selectively precipitating dissolved lithium cations from the salt bath using phosphate salt. The methods further include preventing or reducing the formation of surface defects in the ion-exchangeable substrate by preventing or reducing the formation of crystals on the surface of the ion-exchangeable substrate upon removal from the salt bath.

Proposed is a method of manufacturing an inorganic ion exchanger with improved selectivity for lithium. The exchanger is represented by the following general formula: H.sub.aNbO.sub.(2.5+0.5.Math.a).Math.bLi.sub.2O.Math.cWO.sub.3.Math.dH.sub.2O, wherein “a” is a number ranging from 0.5 to 2.0, “b” is a number ranging from 0.01 to 0.5, “c” is a number ranging from 0.01 to 0.2, and “d” is a number ranging from 0.1 to 2.0. The method consists of: interacting a soluble niobate (V) with an acid to form a hydrated niobium (V) oxide and a hydrated tungsten (VI) oxide, which co-precipitate and form a mixed hydrated niobium (V) and tungsten (VI) oxide; granulating the obtained product; converting the granulated product into a lithium form; calcining the lithium form to obtain a mixed granulated tripled lithium, niobium (V) and tungsten (VI) oxide, and converting the lithium-form into an H-form of the inorganic ion-exchanger by treating it with an acid solution.

The invention relates to lithium-selective inorganic ion exchangers for the extraction of lithium from lithium-containing natural and technological brines. More specifically, invention relates to a technology for recovering lithium in the presence of oxidizing or reducing agents. The inorganic ion-exchanger is present in the form of solid particles which are represented by a chemical non-stoichiometric compound in the form of an inorganic polymeric aqua-oxo-hydroxo complex intended for selective extraction of lithium from lithium-containing natural and industrial brines, the inorganic ion-exchanger being represented by the following general formula:

H.sub.aNbO.sub.(2.5+0.5.Math.a).Math.bL.sub.2O.Math.cWO.sub.3.Math.dH.sub.2O;

wherein: “a” is a number ranging from 0.5 to 2.0, “b” is a number ranging from 0.01 to 0.5, “c” is a number ranging from 0.01 to 0.2, and “d” is a number ranging from 0.1 to 2.0.

The present invention relates to the extraction of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from minerals, and recycled products.

The present invention relates to the extraction of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from minerals, and recycled products.

An aspect of the disclosure relates to a dialysate regenerator for connecting to a dialysis apparatus, the dialysate regenerator including a regenerator inlet for receiving dialysate; a regenerator outlet for dispensing regenerated dialysate; a hydraulic circuit connected between the regenerator inlet and the regenerator outlet, and further including a fluid portioning system to divide a dialysate flow into uniform portions for sequential regeneration An aspect of the disclosure relates to a dialysis system including a dialysis apparatus including: a fresh dialysate input; a spent dialysate output; and the dialysate regenerator, wherein the regenerator inlet may be coupled to the spent dialysate output for receiving spent dialysate, and wherein the regenerator outlet may be coupled to the fresh dialysate input for dispensing regenerated dialysate.

An aspect of the disclosure relates to a dialysate regenerator for connecting to a dialysis apparatus, the dialysate regenerator including a regenerator inlet for receiving dialysate; a regenerator outlet for dispensing regenerated dialysate; a hydraulic circuit connected between the regenerator inlet and the regenerator outlet, and further including a fluid portioning system to divide a dialysate flow into uniform portions for sequential regeneration An aspect of the disclosure relates to a dialysis system including a dialysis apparatus including: a fresh dialysate input; a spent dialysate output; and the dialysate regenerator, wherein the regenerator inlet may be coupled to the spent dialysate output for receiving spent dialysate, and wherein the regenerator outlet may be coupled to the fresh dialysate input for dispensing regenerated dialysate.

The present disclosure relates to the extraction of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products.