Disclosed are system and methods for manufacturing a solid-state electrolyte to be used in an electrochemical cell. The method can include forming a solid-state electrolyte from a material having a compositional property and a structural property, the material having been selected by: (i) providing material properties of a material, wherein the material properties comprise both compositional and structural information; (ii) calculating a first distortion parameter of a material, wherein the first distortion parameter represents the degree of lattice distortion of the material; (iii) determining an estimated ionic mobility value of the material using the one or more distortion parameters; (iv) varying the provided material properties using isovalent substitution and determining a second ionic mobility value from a second distortion parameter by repeating steps (i)-(iii); and (v) comparing the first and second ionic mobility values to select the superior material derivative.

Disclosed are system and methods for manufacturing a solid-state electrolyte to be used in an electrochemical cell. The method can include forming a solid-state electrolyte from a material having a compositional property and a structural property, the material having been selected by: (i) providing material properties of a material, wherein the material properties comprise both compositional and structural information; (ii) calculating a first distortion parameter of a material, wherein the first distortion parameter represents the degree of lattice distortion of the material; (iii) determining an estimated ionic mobility value of the material using the one or more distortion parameters; (iv) varying the provided material properties using isovalent substitution and determining a second ionic mobility value from a second distortion parameter by repeating steps (i)-(iii); and (v) comparing the first and second ionic mobility values to select the superior material derivative.

This invention relates to treated geothermal brine compositions containing reduced concentrations of lithium, iron and silica compared to the untreated brines. Exemplary compositions contain concentration of lithium ranges from 0 to 200 mg/kg, concentration of silica ranges from 0 to 30 mg/kg, concentration of iron ranges from 0 to 300 mg/kg. Exemplary compositions also contain reduced concentrations of elements like arsenic, barium, and lead.

A positive-electrode active material contains a lithium composite oxide containing manganese. The crystal structure of the lithium composite oxide belongs to a space group Fd-3m. The integrated intensity ratio I.sub.(111)/I.sub.(400) of a first peak I.sub.(111) on the (111) plane to a second peak I.sub.(400) on the (400) plane in an XRD pattern of the lithium composite oxide satisfies 0.05≤I.sub.(111)/I.sub.(400)≤0.90.

A lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material has a core-shell structure which includes a core and a shell. The core includes nano-silicon, Li.sub.2SiO.sub.3 and Li.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.5, and the shell is a conductive carbon layer wrapping the core. The invention provides a lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material which is able to maximize the reversible capacity and has a long cycle life, and a lithium ion battery containing the lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material. The invention further provides a method for preparing a lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material, which is simple in process, environmentally friendly and free of pollution.

A lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material has a core-shell structure which includes a core and a shell. The core includes nano-silicon, Li.sub.2SiO.sub.3 and Li.sub.2Si.sub.2O.sub.5, and the shell is a conductive carbon layer wrapping the core. The invention provides a lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material which is able to maximize the reversible capacity and has a long cycle life, and a lithium ion battery containing the lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material. The invention further provides a method for preparing a lithium-containing silicon oxide composite anode material, which is simple in process, environmentally friendly and free of pollution.

Provided is a method for producing lithium hydroxide, which can obtain lithium hydroxide from lithium sulfate with a relatively low cost. A method for producing lithium hydroxide from lithium sulfate includes: a hydroxylation step of allowing the lithium sulfate to react with barium hydroxide in a liquid to provide a lithium hydroxide solution; a barium removal step of removing barium ions in the lithium hydroxide solution using a cation exchange resin and/or a chelate resin; and a crystallization step of precipitating lithium hydroxide in the lithium hydroxide solution that has undergone the barium removal step.

Provided is a method for producing lithium hydroxide, which can obtain lithium hydroxide from lithium sulfate with a relatively low cost. A method for producing lithium hydroxide from lithium sulfate includes: a hydroxylation step of allowing the lithium sulfate to react with barium hydroxide in a liquid to provide a lithium hydroxide solution; a barium removal step of removing barium ions in the lithium hydroxide solution using a cation exchange resin and/or a chelate resin; and a crystallization step of precipitating lithium hydroxide in the lithium hydroxide solution that has undergone the barium removal step.

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.

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.