IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0277822
(2008-11-25)
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등록번호 |
US-8088270
(2012-01-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Gordon, John Howard
- Joshi, Ashok V.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
14 인용 특허 :
82 |
초록
▼
Alkali metals and sulfur may be recovered from alkali polysulfides in an electrolytic process that utilizes an electrolytic cell having an alkali ion conductive membrane. An anolyte solution includes an alkali polysulfide and a solvent that dissolves elemental sulfur. A catholyte solution includes a
Alkali metals and sulfur may be recovered from alkali polysulfides in an electrolytic process that utilizes an electrolytic cell having an alkali ion conductive membrane. An anolyte solution includes an alkali polysulfide and a solvent that dissolves elemental sulfur. A catholyte solution includes alkali metal ions and a catholyte solvent. Applying an electric current oxidizes sulfur in the anolyte compartment, causes alkali metal ions to pass through the alkali ion conductive membrane to the catholyte compartment, and reduces the alkali metal ions in the catholyte compartment. Sulfur is recovered by removing and cooling a portion of the anolyte solution to precipitate solid phase sulfur. Operating the cell at low temperature causes elemental alkali metal to plate onto the cathode. The cathode may be removed to recover the alkali metal in batch mode or configured as a flexible band to continuously loop outside the catholyte compartment to remove the alkali metal.
대표청구항
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1. A process for oxidizing alkali metal polysulfides electrochemically comprising: obtaining an electrolytic cell comprising an alkali ion conductive membrane configured to selectively transport alkali ions, the membrane separating an anolyte compartment configured with an anode and a catholyte comp
1. A process for oxidizing alkali metal polysulfides electrochemically comprising: obtaining an electrolytic cell comprising an alkali ion conductive membrane configured to selectively transport alkali ions, the membrane separating an anolyte compartment configured with an anode and a catholyte compartment configured with a cathode;introducing into the anolyte compartment an anolyte solution comprising an alkali metal polysulfide and an anolyte solvent that dissolves elemental sulfur;introducing into the catholyte compartment a catholyte;applying an electric current to the electrolytic cell thereby: i. oxidizing sulfur in the anolyte compartment to form elemental sulfur;ii. causing alkali metal ions to pass through the alkali ion conductive membrane from the anolyte compartment to the catholyte compartment; andiii. reducing the alkali metal ions in the catholyte compartment to form elemental alkali metal;removing at least a portion of the anolyte solution from the anolyte compartment and cooling the removed anolyte solution to precipitate solid phase sulfur from the anolyte solution. 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the alkali ion conductive membrane is substantially impermeable to anions, the catholyte solvent, the anolyte solvent, and dissolved sulfur. 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the alkali ion conductive membrane comprises in part an alkali metal conductive ceramic or glass ceramic. 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the alkali ion conductive membrane comprises a solid MSICON (Metal Super Ion CONducting) material, where M is Na or Li. 5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the anolyte solvent has a sulfur solubility at 70° C. that is two or more times the solubility of the solvent at 25° C. 6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the anolyte solvent comprises one or more solvents selected from N,N-dimethylaniline, quinoline, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, benzene, cyclohexane, fluorobenzene, thrifluorobenzene, toluene, xylene, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme), diglyme, isopropanol, ethyl propional, dimethyl carbonate, dimethoxy ether, ethanol and ethyl acetate, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and diethyl carbonate. 7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the anolyte solvent comprises from about 60-100 vol. % polar solvent and 0-40 vol. % apolar solvent. 8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the anolyte solvent comprises tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme). 9. The process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of separating solid phase sulfur from the anolyte solution. 10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the separation of solid phase sulfur includes one or more of the separation techniques: gravimetric, filtration, or centrifugation. 11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell operates at a temperature below the melting temperature of the alkali metal such that the alkali metal plates onto the cathode. 12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the cathode in part is in contact with the catholyte solution within the catholyte compartment and the cathode in part is outside the catholyte compartment. 13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the cathode within the catholyte compartment can be transferred outside the catholyte compartment and the cathode outside the catholyte compartment can be transferred inside the catholyte compartment without substantially interrupting the electrolytic cell operation. 14. The process according to claim 12, wherein the cathode consists of a metal band following the path of rollers which facilitate the transfer of cathode inside and outside of the catholyte compartment. 15. The process according to claim 12, wherein the alkali metal plates onto the cathode when it is inside the catholyte compartment and is removed from the cathode when it is outside the catholyte compartment. 16. The process according to claim 1, wherein the catholyte comprises a solution comprising alkali metal ions and a catholyte solvent. 17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the catholyte solvent comprises a polar solvent selected from tetraglyme, diglyme, dimethyl carbonate, dimethoxy ether, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and diethyl carbonate. 18. The process according to claim 16, wherein the alkali metal ions in the catholyte solution are derived from an alkali metal salt selected from an alkali metal chloride, bromide, iodide, perchlorate, and hexafluorophosphate. 19. The process according to claim 16, wherein the alkali metal ions in the catholyte compartment are reduced to form elemental alkali metal at a temperature below the melting temperature of the alkali metal. 20. The process according to claim 1, wherein the catholyte comprises a molten alkali metal. 21. An electrolytic cell for oxidizing alkali metal polysulfides comprising: an anolyte compartment configured with an anode and containing an anolyte solution comprising an alkali polysulfide and a solvent that dissolves elemental sulfur;a catholyte compartment configured with a cathode and containing a catholyte;an alkali ion conductive membrane configured to selectively transport alkali ions, wherein the alkali ion conductive membrane is substantially impermeable to anions, the catholyte solvent, the anolyte solvent, and dissolved sulfur; anda source of electric potential electrically coupled to the anode and the cathode. 22. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the alkali ion conductive membrane comprises in part an alkali metal conductive ceramic or glass ceramic. 23. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the alkali ion conductive membrane comprises a solid MSICON (Metal Super Ion CONducting) material, where M is Na or Li. 24. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the anolyte solvent has a sulfur solubility at 70° C. that is two or more times the solubility of the solvent at 25° C. 25. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the anolyte solvent comprises one or more solvents selected from N,N-dimethylaniline, quinoline, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, benzene, cyclohexane, fluorobenzene, thrifluorobenzene, toluene, xylene, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme), diglyme, isopropanol, ethyl propional, dimethyl carbonate, dimethoxy ether, ethanol and ethyl acetate, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and diethyl carbonate. 26. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the anolyte solvent comprises from about 60-100 vol. % polar solvent and 0-40 vol. % apolar solvent. 27. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the anolyte solvent comprises tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme). 28. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, wherein the electrolytic cell is configured to operate at a temperature below the melting temperature of the alkali metal and where the catholyte comprises a solution comprising an alkali salt and a catholyte solvent. 29. The electrolytic cell according to claim 28, wherein the catholyte solvent comprises a polar solvent selected from tetraglyme, diglyme, dimethyl carbonate, dimethoxy ether, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and diethyl carbonate. 30. The electrolytic cell according to claim 21, where the catholyte comprises molten alkali metal.
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