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.

This lithium recovery device 10C is provided with a processing tank 1 that is partitioned into a supply tank 11 and a recovery tank 13 by a lithium ion-conducting electrolyte membrane 2. In order to selectively move Li+ to an aqueous solution RS in the recovery tank 13 from an aqueous solution SW in the supply tank 11, the aqueous solution SW containing Li+ and other metal ions Mn+, this lithium recovery device 10C is also provided with: a first power supply 51 which is connected between a first electrode 31 that has a porous structure and is arranged so as to be in contact with a supply tank 11-side surface of the electrolyte membrane 2 and a second electrode 32A that is arranged within the recovery tank 13, in such a manner that the first electrode 31 functions as the positive electrode; and a sub power supply 53 which is connected in series to the positive electrode of the first power supply 51, while having the positive electrode thereof connected to a sub electrode 41 that is arranged within the supply tank 11 at a distance from the electrolyte membrane 2.

Provided is an apparatus and a method of desalinating saltwater and transporting hydrogen ions using Ion Concentration Polarization (ICP), the apparatus including: a channel part including a channel allowing saltwater to be introduced thereinto, an ion-selective membrane connected to the channel, and a cathode and an anode for applying a voltage to both ends of the channel; a desalination part configured to obtain fresh water from the saltwater with ionic substances removed from the saltwater by ion concentration polarization in a first region adjacent to the anode of the ion-selective membrane; and a hydrogen gas production part configured to concentrate the ionic substances in a second region adjacent to the cathode of the ion-selective membrane and to reduce hydrogen ions (H.sup.+) contained in the ionic substances.

A fluid filtration apparatus includes a fluid reservoir containing a porous anode, a filtration membrane, and a porous cathode. A power source is coupled with each of the porous anode and porous cathode. The filtration membrane is positioned within the fluid reservoir spanning between the interior opposing end walls and fluidly divides the fluid reservoir into a first fluid cavity and a second fluid cavity. The porous anode is positioned within the first fluid cavity and the porous cathode is positioned within the second fluid cavity.

An acidic treatment liquid processing apparatus includes: a tank having an interior space; a diaphragm permeable to a metal cation and separating the interior space of the tank into a first chamber and a second chamber; a first electrode disposed in the first chamber; a second electrode disposed in the second chamber; a power supply configured to apply a voltage while using the first electrode as an anode and the second electrode as a cathode; a first liquid passing part configured to pass an acidic treatment liquid containing a dichromate ion and a metal cation into the first chamber; and a second liquid passing part configured to pass an acid aqueous solution into the second chamber.

A 3D nanopore device for characterizing biopolymer molecules includes a first selecting layer having a first axis of selection. The device also includes a second selecting layer disposed adjacent the first selecting layer and having a second axis of selection orthogonal to the first axis of selection. The device further includes an third electrode layer disposed adjacent the second selecting layer, such that the first selecting layer, the second selecting layer, and the third electrode layer form a stack of layers along a Z axis and define a plurality of nanopore pillars.

Systems and methods for removing lithium from a lithium-containing solution producing a lithium-enriched stream. The system includes a first electrochemical membrane reactor including one or more working electrodes, one or more counter electrodes, one or more ion exchange membranes, one or more optional bipolar membranes, and a power source configured to apply a voltage to the first electrochemical membrane reactor. A second electrochemical membrane reactor is configured to remove lithium from the lithium enriched stream. The first electrochemical membrane reactor may be coupled to the second electrochemical membrane reactor. The second electrochemical membrane reactor includes one or more working electrodes, one or more counter electrodes, one or more ion exchange membranes, and a power source configured to apply a voltage to the second electrochemical membrane reactor.

Disclosed is an energy-saving system and method for direct air capture with precise ion control. The system includes an air conveying device, an air distribution device and a CO.sub.2 adsorption device with a moisture swing adsorbent with high CO.sub.2 adsorption capacity, where the air conveying device, the air distribution device and the CO.sub.2 adsorption device are connected in sequence, and the CO.sub.2 adsorption device is provided with a spray desorption device; a valence-state ion sieving device; a pH swing regeneration device; and a CO.sub.2 regeneration device. In accordance with the energy-saving system provided by the present disclosure, ultra-low concentration of CO.sub.2 in the air can be enriched to the concentration of 95% step by step for industrial application or biological application at room temperature and pressure by consuming the electricity which cannot be connected to a power grid.

A method and apparatus for maintaining a free-standing region of a film including a network of High Aspect Ratio Molecular structures (HARM-structures). The method includes electrically coupling the film to two or more electrodes at two or more peripheral locations of the film and passing electric charge across the free-standing region of the film to create a magnetic attraction between the HARM-structures in the network.

One aspect of the invention relates to a forward osmosis (FO) membrane including a selectively permeable active layer formed of a graphene-based material with tunable interlayer spacing; and a support membrane providing mechanical stability. The FO membrane enhances water flux while minimizing reverse solute flux.