Scientific Achievement

Researchers in the Science of Direct Mineral to Energy Storage Synthesis program developed a novel procedure to produce Li₂CO₃ directly from spodumene, an abundant Li-bearing mineral, without requiring the use of acid leaching, and at lower temperature.

Significance and Impact

Li₂CO₃ sourced from spodumene can help meet growing battery demand, but processing this mineral traditionally requires high temperatures (> 1000 °C) and the use of acid leaching, whereas the procedure is performed at 750 °C and uses acid-free separation.

Research Details

• Computational modeling showed that adding AI₂CO₃ shifts the equilibrium away from producing Li-silicates resulting in water-leachable Li-salts
• Li₂CO₃ is produced quickly (4 h) and with a yield of 90% by reacting spodumene with Na₂CO₃ and AI₂CO₃ at 750 °C, followed by separation in water

Publication Details

S. Wang, N.J. Szymanski, Y. Fei, W. Dong, J.N. Christensen, Y. Zeng, M. Whittaker, G. Ceder, Inorganic Chemistry (2024).

DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c01722

Work was performed in part at the Advanced Light Source.