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.

Provided is a high-entropy composite glycerate represented by NiCrFeCoMn(C.sub.3H.sub.5O.sub.4).sub.n and an electrocatalyst thereof, wherein n is a positive integer from 1 to 3, and wherein each of the Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Mn includes an atom percent of 5 to 35 based on the total amount of the Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Mn. Each of the metals is homogenously distributed within the high-entropy composite glycerate, and the high-entropy composite glycerate can reduce an overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction by the synergistic effect resulting from the structure formed by the quinary-metal glycerate. The high-entropy composite glycerate is suitable for catalyzing oxygen evolution reaction, and therefore has a prospect for application. Methods for preparing the high-entropy composite glycerate are also provided.

Provided is a high-entropy composite glycerate represented by NiCrFeCoMn(C.sub.3H.sub.5O.sub.4).sub.n and an electrocatalyst thereof, wherein n is a positive integer from 1 to 3, and wherein each of the Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Mn includes an atom percent of 5 to 35 based on the total amount of the Ni, Cr, Fe, Co and Mn. Each of the metals is homogenously distributed within the high-entropy composite glycerate, and the high-entropy composite glycerate can reduce an overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction by the synergistic effect resulting from the structure formed by the quinary-metal glycerate. The high-entropy composite glycerate is suitable for catalyzing oxygen evolution reaction, and therefore has a prospect for application. Methods for preparing the high-entropy composite glycerate are also provided.

An electrode with a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) layer and a metal-organic framework (MOF) layer. The electrode overcomes mass transport limits by providing a gas diffusion pathway to conductive MOF electrodes. At the same applied potential, this translates to a tenfold improvement in current density (greater than 100 mA cm.sup.−2) relative to conventional conductive MOF electrode geometries (less than 1 mA cm.sup.−2).

An electrode with a gas diffusion electrode (GDE) layer and a metal-organic framework (MOF) layer. The electrode overcomes mass transport limits by providing a gas diffusion pathway to conductive MOF electrodes. At the same applied potential, this translates to a tenfold improvement in current density (greater than 100 mA cm.sup.−2) relative to conventional conductive MOF electrode geometries (less than 1 mA cm.sup.−2).

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.

A method of preparing metal hydroxides from industrial wastes or alkaline rocks is provided. The method comprise subjecting a mixture comprising a solvent and a solid substrate to a stimulus in order to leach a metal cation from the solid substrate into the solvent, thereby forming a solution comprising the metal cation in the solvent; and contacting the solution of comprising the metal cation with a cathode, thereby electrolytically precipitating the metal hydroxide from the solution. The stimulus may be chemical, mechanical, or both.

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.