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Production of LiOH·H2O from lithium chloride by electrodialysis and crystallisation
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Production of LiOH·H2O from lithium chloride by electrodialysis and crystallisation

Kwang Loon Ang, Maryam Barmi, Yasaman Boroumand, Amir Razmjou and Aleksandar N. Nikoloski
Desalination and water treatment, Vol.320, 100778
2024
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CC BY-NC V4.0 Open Access

Abstract

Crystallisation Electrodialysis LiCl LiOH Lithium recovery Membrane
Laboratory bench scale experiments were performed to develop a process for electrodialysis (ED) of LiCl liquor from spodumene leaching and purification to produce LiOH solution, for subsequent conversion by evaporative crystallisation to LiOH·H2O crystals as the end-product. Nafion® 117 cation-selective membranes were used in all experiments. The small electrolytic test cell achieved an average LiOH production rate of 7.5g/h with 83% coulombic efficiency and specific electrical consumption of 6.5 kWh/kg LiOH. In the large electrolytic test cell, a higher average LiOH production rate of 11.2g/h was attained but at lower coulombic efficiency (62%) and greater specific electrical consumption (8.8 kWh/kg LiOH). In a longer period ED process, there was a further decrease in coulombic efficiency and an increase in the specific electrical consumption. Also, the cation-selective membranes were found susceptible to the deportment of cation and anion impurities (i.e., Na+, K+, and Cl-), which impacted the LiOH·H2O product purity. Higher purity LiOH·H2O was obtained from the LiOH liquor produced in the ED testwork by subjecting the liquor to partial evaporation under a nitrogen gas blanket. Further optimisation of the process parameters is expected to enhance the yield and purity of the LiOH·H2O product and reduce operating costs.

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