Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC

Ut-battelle, Inc.

John William Freiderich

Tasha L Boyd

Sheng Dai

Huimin Luo

Bruce A Moyer

Justin M Holland

Benjamin D Green

Methods for electropolishing and coating aluminum on a surface of an air and/or moisture sensitive substrate, including: in a vessel, submerging the substrate in a first molten salt bath and applying an anodizing current to the substrate at a first temperature to electropolish the surface of the substrate; wherein the first molten salt bath includes one of a first organic salt bath and first inorganic salt bath; wherein, when used, the first organic salt bath includes one of (a) aluminum halide and ionic liquid, (b) a combination of an aluminum halide and halogenatedmethylphenylsulfone (C(H, X)SOCX, where y is a number from 0-5), (c) a combination of an aluminum halide, an ionic liquid, and halogenatedmethylphenylsulfone (C(H, X)SOCX), and (d) AlF-organofluoride-hydrofluoric acid adduct; wherein, when used, the first inorganic salt bath includes aluminum halide and alkali metal halide; and wherein the anodizing current is 10-30 mA/cm.

Methods for electropolishing and coating aluminum on air and/or moisture sensitive substrates

An electrochemical substrate holder assembly, including: a first housing and a second housing; wherein the first housing and the second housing collectively define an interior space; a first gasket coupled to the first housing and adapted to contact a first side of a substrate; and a second gasket coupled to the second housing and adapted to contact a second side of the substrate; wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are collectively adapted to hold the substrate within the interior space. The first housing defines a first port adapted to receive a first electrical lead to electrically contact the first side of the substrate. The second housing defines a second port adapted to allow a fluid to pass there through to fluidly contact at least the second side of the substrate. The second housing is adapted to receive one or more of a second and third electrical lead.

Assembly and method for interchangeably holding an electrochemical substrate

A method and electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a low temperature. The method includes combining (i) acetonitrile and (ii) a cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)imide, cation bis(trihalosulfonyl)imidic acid, a cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)amide, or cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)amidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) about 100:1 to about 5:1 to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte composition. A lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, LiO and LiCOis dissolved in the electrolyte composition to provide a lithium doped electrolyte composition. Power is applied to the electrolyte composition to form lithium metal on a cathode of an electrolysis cell. The lithium metal separated from the cathode has a purity of at least about 95 wt. %.

Low temperature lithium production

A method and electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a low temperature. The method includes combining (i) phenyl trihaloalkyl sulfone and (ii) an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imide, an inorganic cation bis(perhaloalkylsulfonyl)imidic acid, or an inorganic cation bis(halosulfonyl)imidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) about 10:90 to about 60:40 to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte composition. A lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, LiO and LiCOis dissolved in the electrolyte composition to provide a soluble lithium doped electrolyte composition. Power is applied to the electrolyte composition to form lithium metal on a cathode of an electrolysis cell. The lithium metal is separated from the cathode has a purity of at least about 95 wt. %.

Methods for electropolishing and coating aluminum on a surface of an air and/or moisture sensitive substrate, including: in a vessel, submerging the substrate in a first molten salt bath and applying an anodizing current to the substrate at a first temperature to electropolish the surface of the substrate; wherein the first molten salt bath includes one of a first organic salt bath and first inorganic salt bath; wherein, when used, the first organic salt bath includes one of (a) aluminum halide and ionic liquid, (b) a combination of an aluminum halide and halogenatedmethylphenylsulfone (C(H,X)SOCX, where y is a number from 0-5), (c) a combination of an aluminum halide, an ionic liquid, and halogenatedmethylphenylsulfone (C(H,X)SOCX), and (d) AlF-organofluoride-hydrofluoric acid adduct; wherein, when used, the first inorganic salt bath includes aluminum halide and alkali metal halide; and wherein the anodizing current is 10-30 mA/cm.

A method for extracting a rare earth element from a rare earth-containing substance, the method comprising mixing the rare earth-containing substance with a protic ionic liquid, such as: wherein Ris selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; Rand Rare independently selected from hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms; and Xis an anionic species; to produce a composition of the formula (RE)(amide)Xat least partially dissolved in the protic ionic liquid, wherein RE is at least one rare earth element having an atomic number selected from 39, 57-71, and 90-103; y is 2-6; z is a number that charge balances the total positive charge of RE; and the amide is the conjugate base of the cationic portion of the protic ionic liquid of Formula (1) and has the following formula: 

Rare earth amide compositions

A method and electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a low temperature. The method includes combining (i) phenyl trihaloalkyl sulfone and (ii) an organic cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)imide or organic cation bis(trihalosulfonyl)imidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) about 10:90 to about 60:40 to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte composition. A lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, LiO and LiCOis dissolved in the electrolyte composition to provide a soluble lithium ion species in the electrolyte composition. Power is applied to the electrolyte composition to form lithium metal on a cathode of an electrolysis cell. The lithium metal is separated from the cathode has a purity of at least about 95 wt. %.

Systems and methods for producing metal chloride MClfrom metal Mwithout the use of HCl and/or Clgases, including: a bath vessel holding conductive fluid; an anode disposed in the conductive fluid, the anode including metal M; a cathode assembly disposed in the conductive fluid, the cathode assembly including a cathode vessel including porous and non-porous portions, the non-porous portion holding sacrificial metal chloride MClsubstantially separate from metal chloride MCl, wherein the cathode assembly includes a center lead disposed within the cathode vessel operable for delivering charge to sacrificial metal chloride MCl; and a power supply coupling the anode and the cathode assembly, the power supply polarized to produce current flow in a direction that causes anodic dissolution of metal Minto the conductive fluid and deposition of metal Mwithin the cathode vessel. The systems and methods apply equally to producing metal halide MX.

Growing community of inventors

Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

John William Freiderich