Described herein are methods of recovering lithium from dilute lithium sources. The methods include extracting lithium from an extraction feed using direct lithium extraction in an extraction stage to yield a lithium intermediate, performing one or more concentration operations, each concentration operation concentrating an input stream to yield an output feed, wherein the input stream is obtained from the lithium intermediate and/or the extraction feed is obtained from the output feed. At least one of the concentration operations includes a membrane separation operation having a plurality of reactors in series each having a semi-permeable membrane, such as a counter-flow reverse osmosis operation. Methods may also include generating a low TDS stream as a permeate from any of the one or more concentration operations, wherein the low TDS stream is recycled or used as fresh water.

Described herein are methods of recovering lithium from dilute lithium sources. The methods include concentrating a dilute aqueous lithium source to yield an extraction feed having an extraction lithium concentration; extracting lithium from the extraction feed using direct lithium extraction in an extraction stage to yield a lithium intermediate; concentrating a stream obtained from the lithium intermediate in a concentration stage to yield a lithium concentrate; and converting lithium in the lithium concentrate to lithium hydroxide.

A liquid-liquid-solid extraction process is disclosed for isolating natural products from a feedstock stream containing a biomass in an aqueous salt solution. The process includes forming a dispersion by contacting the feedstock stream with an extraction solvent in an extraction zone; passing the dispersion to a separation zone; separating the dispersion into multiple layers at a temperature of about 90 C. or less, the layers including: a solvent extract layer, a raffinate layer and a rag layer, and isolating at least part of the solvent extract layer, at least part of the raffinate layer and/or at least part of the rag layer.

A method comprises planarizing a substrate material with a functionalized chemical planarization pad. The functionalized chemical planarization pad includes a plurality of functional groups bonded to a material of the pad. The functional groups are configured to chemically react with the substrate material such that a portion of substrate material bonds to the functional groups. The pad is regenerated by applying a regeneration solution configured to break bonds between the functional groups and substrate material bonded to the functional groups to form removed material. The removed material is complexed in a dissolved complexing agent to form dissolved material in an effluent phase.

A semi-integrated method for production of p-hydroxycinnamic acids comprises a first step of enzymatic hydrolysis and a second step of purification of the p-hydroxycinnamic acids, thus released, by liquid/liquid extraction using a membrane contactor. This method enables the purification of p-hydroxycinnamic acids from a plant biomass and the recovery thereof in the organic phase. It is conceivable to recover the p-hydroxycinnamic acids in the aqueous phase after a back-extraction step.

Described herein are methods of recovering lithium from dilute lithium sources. The methods include concentrating a dilute aqueous lithium source to yield an extraction feed having an extraction lithium concentration; extracting lithium from the extraction feed using direct lithium extraction in an extraction stage to yield a lithium intermediate; concentrating a stream obtained from the lithium intermediate in a concentration stage to yield a lithium concentrate; and converting lithium in the lithium concentrate to lithium hydroxide.

In an embodiment is provided a process to re-refine used oil that includes introducing a used oil and a solvent to a separation unit under separation conditions selected to produce a purified oil product, the separation unit comprising a porous membrane, a semiporous membrane, or both; and separating the used oil to obtain an effluent comprising a purified oil product. In another embodiment is provided an apparatus for re-refining used oil that includes a separation unit comprising a porous or semiporous membrane; a used oil feed coupled to an inlet of the separation unit; and an inlet of a diffusate collection unit coupled to an outlet of the separation unit. In another embodiment is provided a composition generated from a membrane separation process that includes a base oil, the composition having a soot content of about 0.05% or less.

A method comprises planarizing a substrate material with a functionalized chemical planarization pad. The functionalized chemical planarization pad includes a plurality of functional groups bonded to a material of the pad. The functional groups are configured to chemically react with the substrate material such that a portion of substrate material bonds to the functional groups. The pad is regenerated by applying a regeneration solution configured to break bonds between the functional groups and substrate material bonded to the functional groups to form removed material. The removed material is complexed in a dissolved complexing agent to form dissolved material in an effluent phase.

The present invention provides a method for the recovery of 2,3-butanediol (BDO) from an aqueous fermentation broth. The method includes directing an aqueous phase along the lumen side or the shell side of a plurality of hydrophobic hollow fibers while simultaneously directing an organic phase along the other of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers. The aqueous phase includes a fermentation broth containing BDO, water, and impurities, and the organic phase is initially composed entirely of an organic solvent, the organic solvent being immiscible in water and having an affinity for BDO. The organic solvent continuously recovers BDO from the fermentation broth, the BDO being a precursor for aviation fuels and other applications.

Described herein are methods of recovering lithium from dilute lithium sources. The methods include concentrating a dilute aqueous lithium source to yield an extraction feed having an extraction lithium concentration; extracting lithium from the extraction feed using direct lithium extraction in an extraction stage to yield a lithium intermediate; concentrating a stream obtained from the lithium intermediate in a concentration stage to yield a lithium concentrate; and converting lithium in the lithium concentrate to lithium hydroxide.