US 12,286,719 B2
Electrodepostion of metals from liquid media
Thomas C. Underwood, Austin, TX (US); Sheila Gerardo, Austin, TX (US); and Wen Song, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/729,268.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/179,817, filed on Apr. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0341050 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. C25C 1/00 (2006.01); C22B 26/12 (2006.01); C25C 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC C25C 1/02 (2013.01) [C22B 26/12 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
selectively recovering a metal from a liquid medium comprising metal ions of lithium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, barium, or one or more rare earth elements, or any combination thereof by
applying a voltage to an electrochemical cell comprising the liquid medium, an anode and a cathode to induce an electric current flow from the anode to the cathode, wherein the voltage is effective to induce a selective reduction of the metal ions on the cathode;
applying a magnetic field directed orthogonally to the electric current flow to induce an azimuthal motion of the liquid medium, thereby rotating the liquid medium around the cathode;
forming a selective centrifugal partitioning of metal ions towards the anode and cathode based on a mass-to-charge ratio of the metal ion;
depositing a selectively reduced metal on the cathode; and
recovering the selectively reduced metal with a yield from about 20% to about 100%.