A negative electrode active material including a core, an intermediate layer on a surface of the core, and a shell layer on a surface of the intermediate layer, wherein the core includes a silicon oxide of SiO.sub.x (0<x<2); the intermediate layer includes a lithium silicate, the shell layer includes lithium fluoride (LiF) and the intermediate layer is present in an amount of 5 wt %-15 wt % based on a total weight of the negative electrode active material. Also, a method for preparing the negative electrode active material, and a negative electrode and lithium secondary battery including the same. The negative electrode active material provides excellent initial efficiency and life characteristics.

Described herein are methods of recovering a target ion, such as lithium, from earth materials. The methods include leaching the target ion from an earth material such as a clay to form a target solution and extracting the target ion from the dilute lithium solution using a extraction process selective for the target ion to yield a concentrate which can be converted to a product.

Described herein are methods of recovering a target ion, such as lithium, from earth materials. The methods include leaching the target ion from an earth material such as a clay to form a target solution and extracting the target ion from the dilute lithium solution using a extraction process selective for the target ion to yield a concentrate which can be converted to a product.

Systems, methods and apparatuses to concentrate lithium containing solutions using forward osmosis units are provided, which, for example, can include providing at least one forward osmosis unit having at least one lithium containing solution chamber having at least one first inlet and at least one first outlet, at least one brine chamber having at least one second inlet and at least one second outlet, and at least one selectively permeable membrane positioned between the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and the at least one brine chamber, and conveying a lithium containing solution through the at least one lithium containing solution chamber and a concentrated brine solution through the at least one brine chamber, said conveying causing water from the lithium containing solution to be drawn through the at least one selectively permeable membrane and into the concentrated brine solution, such that a concentrated lithium containing solution exits through the first outlet and a less concentrated brine solution exits through the second outlet.

Solid electrolytes, including lithium-argyrodite solid electrolytes, and electronic devices, such as lithium-ion batteries that include the solid electrolytes. Methods of making solid electrolytes, including methods for making solid electrolytes with varying degrees of lithium deficiency.

Some embodiments include a method comprising: flowing a molten salt out of a molten salt reactor at a first temperature, heating the molten salt reactor to a second temperature above the melding point of the second salt mixture causing the second salt mixture to melt; flowing the second salt mixture out of the molten salt reactor; flowing a third salt mixture into the molten salt reactor; and cooling the molten salt reactor from the second temperature to a third temperature causing the third salt mixture to solidify on the interior surface of the housing. In some embodiments, the molten salt may include a first salt mixture comprising at least uranium. In some embodiments, the first temperature is a temperature above the melting point of the first salt mixture.

Some embodiments include a method comprising: flowing a molten salt out of a molten salt reactor at a first temperature, heating the molten salt reactor to a second temperature above the melding point of the second salt mixture causing the second salt mixture to melt; flowing the second salt mixture out of the molten salt reactor; flowing a third salt mixture into the molten salt reactor; and cooling the molten salt reactor from the second temperature to a third temperature causing the third salt mixture to solidify on the interior surface of the housing. In some embodiments, the molten salt may include a first salt mixture comprising at least uranium. In some embodiments, the first temperature is a temperature above the melting point of the first salt mixture.

The present invention is related to a method for producing lithium chloride aqueous solution and a method for producing lithium carbonate, and comprises introducing calcium chloride into a slurry containing a solvent and lithium phosphate; and obtaining a precipitate of chloroapatite which is an poorly soluble phosphoric acid compound and a lithium chloride aqueous solution by reacting lithium phosphate and calcium chloride in the slurry containing the solvent and lithium phosphate.

The present invention is related to a method for producing lithium chloride aqueous solution and a method for producing lithium carbonate, and comprises introducing calcium chloride into a slurry containing a solvent and lithium phosphate; and obtaining a precipitate of chloroapatite which is an poorly soluble phosphoric acid compound and a lithium chloride aqueous solution by reacting lithium phosphate and calcium chloride in the slurry containing the solvent and lithium phosphate.

A renewable magnesium removing agent and its use in a preparation of a low-magnesium lithium-rich brine are provided. The magnesium removing agent includes a magnesium phosphate double salt of an alkali metal or ammonium. A regeneration of the magnesium removing agent is realized by adding the magnesium removing agent into Mg.sup.2+-containing chloride salt solution, wherein Mg.sup.2+in the chloride salt solution and the magnesium removing agent are subjected to a magnesium removing reaction to form a solid-phase reaction product and carrying out a solid-liquid separation on an obtained mixed reaction product after the magnesium removing reaction is ended to separate the solid-phase material comprising a magnesium phosphate hydrate and then separating out a chlorine salt of the alkali metal or the ammonium from a remaining liquid-phase material, and finally carrying out a regeneration reaction on the magnesium phosphate hydrate and the chlorine salt of the alkali metal or the ammonium.