Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium
Sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) are becoming important for making energy-storage batteries and structural materials. Herein, we develop a liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis route to producing Na and Mg with low-carbon emissions and no chlorine gas evolution. The clean production stems from...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Magnesium and Alloys |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956724000616 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849744638650351616 |
|---|---|
| author | Lei Guo Huayi Yin Wenmiao Li Shiyu Wang Kaifa Du Hao Shi Xu Wang Dihua Wang |
| author_facet | Lei Guo Huayi Yin Wenmiao Li Shiyu Wang Kaifa Du Hao Shi Xu Wang Dihua Wang |
| author_sort | Lei Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) are becoming important for making energy-storage batteries and structural materials. Herein, we develop a liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis route to producing Na and Mg with low-carbon emissions and no chlorine gas evolution. The clean production stems from the choice of a molten NaCl-Na2CO3 electrolyte to prevent chlorine gas evolution, an inert nickel-based anode to produce oxygen, and a liquid metal cathode to make the cathodic product sit at the bottom of the electrolytic cell. We achieve a current efficiency of >90% for the electrolytic production of liquid Na-Sn alloy. Later, Mg-Sn alloy is prepared using the obtained Na-Sn alloy to displace Mg from molten NaCl-MgCl2 with a displacement efficiency of >96%. Further, Na and Mg are separated from the electrolytic Na-Sn and displaced Mg-Sn alloys by vacuum distillation with a recovery rate of >92% and Sn can be reused. Using this electrolysis-displacement-distillation (EDD) approach, we prepare Mg from seawater. The CO2 emission of the EDD approach is ∼20.6 kg CO2 per kg Mg, which is less than that of the Australian Magnesium (AM) electrolysis process (∼25.0 kg CO2 per kg Mg) and less than half that of the Pidgeon process (∼45.2 kg CO2 per kg Mg). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ef9e0d4fc7dd44c2ba8b24d4263d3873 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2213-9567 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Magnesium and Alloys |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef9e0d4fc7dd44c2ba8b24d4263d38732025-08-20T03:11:52ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Magnesium and Alloys2213-95672025-04-011341579159110.1016/j.jma.2024.01.028Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesiumLei Guo0Huayi Yin1Wenmiao Li2Shiyu Wang3Kaifa Du4Hao Shi5Xu Wang6Dihua Wang7School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Joint Center of Green Manufacturing of Energy Storage Materials of Wuhan University and Chilwee, Wuhan 430072, China; Corresponding authors at: School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, ChinaSchool of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; Joint Center of Green Manufacturing of Energy Storage Materials of Wuhan University and Chilwee, Wuhan 430072, China; Corresponding authors at: School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.Sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) are becoming important for making energy-storage batteries and structural materials. Herein, we develop a liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis route to producing Na and Mg with low-carbon emissions and no chlorine gas evolution. The clean production stems from the choice of a molten NaCl-Na2CO3 electrolyte to prevent chlorine gas evolution, an inert nickel-based anode to produce oxygen, and a liquid metal cathode to make the cathodic product sit at the bottom of the electrolytic cell. We achieve a current efficiency of >90% for the electrolytic production of liquid Na-Sn alloy. Later, Mg-Sn alloy is prepared using the obtained Na-Sn alloy to displace Mg from molten NaCl-MgCl2 with a displacement efficiency of >96%. Further, Na and Mg are separated from the electrolytic Na-Sn and displaced Mg-Sn alloys by vacuum distillation with a recovery rate of >92% and Sn can be reused. Using this electrolysis-displacement-distillation (EDD) approach, we prepare Mg from seawater. The CO2 emission of the EDD approach is ∼20.6 kg CO2 per kg Mg, which is less than that of the Australian Magnesium (AM) electrolysis process (∼25.0 kg CO2 per kg Mg) and less than half that of the Pidgeon process (∼45.2 kg CO2 per kg Mg).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956724000616Molten-salt electrolysisInert anodeLiquid metal electrodesSodiumMagnesium |
| spellingShingle | Lei Guo Huayi Yin Wenmiao Li Shiyu Wang Kaifa Du Hao Shi Xu Wang Dihua Wang Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium Journal of Magnesium and Alloys Molten-salt electrolysis Inert anode Liquid metal electrodes Sodium Magnesium |
| title | Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium |
| title_full | Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium |
| title_fullStr | Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium |
| title_full_unstemmed | Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium |
| title_short | Liquid-metal-electrode-assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium |
| title_sort | liquid metal electrode assisted electrolysis for the production of sodium and magnesium |
| topic | Molten-salt electrolysis Inert anode Liquid metal electrodes Sodium Magnesium |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956724000616 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leiguo liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT huayiyin liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT wenmiaoli liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT shiyuwang liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT kaifadu liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT haoshi liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT xuwang liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium AT dihuawang liquidmetalelectrodeassistedelectrolysisfortheproductionofsodiumandmagnesium |