About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Next Generation Electrometallurgical Technologies for Metal Extraction, Refining, and Recycling
|
| Presentation Title |
Liquid-Metal Bipolar Membrane for Electrochemical Recovery of Critical Metals in Molten Salts |
| Author(s) |
Alok Kumar Pandey, Hojong Kim |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Alok Kumar Pandey |
| Abstract Scope |
Membrane-based separation and recovery of electroactive species in molten salts remains challenging because conventional membranes lack the stability and transport properties required at high temperatures. Here, we introduce a liquid-metal (e.g., Bismuth) bipolar membrane that enables selective transport of metals such as lithium and rare-earth elements via coupled interfacial electrochemical reactions and diffusion within the liquid metal. The liquid state of the membrane facilitates strong chemical affinity for target species with rapid charge-transfer kinetics and high chemical diffusivity, simultaneously achieving high selectivity and fast transport. Using lithium as a model species, we establish the membrane design principles, elucidate its transport mechanism, and demonstrate wireless operation enabled by its intrinsic electronic conductivity, sustaining continuous lithium transport at currents densities up to 1 A cm-2 in molten LiCl-KCl at 500 °C. We further demonstrate selective lithium recovery from complex mixtures such as spent LiCoO2 cathodes. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Electrometallurgy, Recycling and Secondary Recovery, Copper / Nickel / Cobalt |