US4405595A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of producing spherical lithium aluminate particles
Assignee: General Atomics Corp
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Filing: 1982-01-15
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Granted: 1983-09-20
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Expires: 2002-01-15
Abstract
Abstract Spherical particles of lithium aluminate are formed by initially producing aluminum hydroxide spheroids, and immersing the spheroids in a lithium ion-containing solution to infuse lithium ions into the spheroids. The lithium-infused spheroids are rinsed to remove excess lithium ion from the surface, and the rinsed spheroids are soaked for a period of time in a liquid medium to remove water and NH 4 OH from their surfaces. The soaked spheroids are then dried and sintered to form lithium aluminate spherical particles.
Inventors
- 👤 Ling Yang
- 👤 Russell R. Medico
- 👤 Wesley A. Baugh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:05
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01F; C01F7/00; C01F7/02; C01F7/04; C01F7/043; G; G21; G21B; G21B1/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of forming lithium aluminate spheroids comprising: forming aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids, washing the gel spheroids with an aqueous solution to rid said spheroids of extraneous substances, immersing said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids in a solution of between about 3N and about 5N LiOH to infuse lithium ions into said gel spheroids, rinsing said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an aqueous solution of between about 10 and about 28 weight percent ammonium hydroxide for about 5 to about 60 seconds to remove excess lithium ion from the surface thereof, soaking said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an organic liquid to remove said aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution, drying said lithium-infused gel spheroids, and sintering said lithium-infused gel spheroids at a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to form lithium aluminate spheroids.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of forming lithium aluminate spheroids comprising: forming aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids, washing the gel spheroids with an aqueous solution to rid said spheroids of extraneous substances, immersing said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids in a solution of between about 3N and about 5N LiOH to infuse lithium ions into said gel spheroids, rinsing said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an aqueous solution of between about 10 and about 28 weight percent ammonium hydroxide for about 5 to about 60 seconds to remove excess lithium ion from the surface thereof, soaking said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an organic liquid to remove said aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution, drying said lithium-infused gel spheroids, and sintering said lithium-infused gel spheroids at a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to form lithium aluminate spheroids.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said liquid medium is isopropyl alcohol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lithium aluminate spheroids are between about 100 and about 1000 microns in diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lithium aluminate spheroids are between about 200 and about 800 microns in diameter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids are formed from aluminum nitrate and said aluminum hydroxide spheroids are washed in about 3 weight percent aqueous ammonium hydroxide to rid the spheroids of ammonium nitrate.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of forming lithium aluminate spheroids comprising: forming aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids, washing the gel spheroids with aqueous solution to rid said spheroids of extraneous substances, immersing said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids in a solution of between about 3N and about 5N LiOH to infuse lithium ions into said gel spheroids, rinsing said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution to remove excess lithium ion from the surface thereof, soaking said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an organic liquid to remove said aqueous solution, drying said lithium-infused gel spheroids, and sintering said lithium-infused gel spheroids at a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to form lithium aluminate spheroids.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of forming lithium aluminate spheroids comprising: forming aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids, washing the gel spheroids with aqueous solution to rid said spheroids of extraneous substances, immersing said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids in a solution of between about 3N and about 5N LiOH to infuse lithium ions into said gel spheroids, rinsing said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution to remove excess lithium ion from the surface thereof, soaking said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an organic liquid to remove said aqueous solution, drying said lithium-infused gel spheroids, and sintering said lithium-infused gel spheroids at a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to form lithium aluminate spheroids.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said aqueous solution, in which lithium-infused gel spheres are rinsed, is between about 10 and about 28 weight percent ammonium hydroxide solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said lithium-infused gel spheroids are soaked in said organic liquid for at least about 20 minutes at a temperature above about 50° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said lithium aluminate spheroids are between about 100 and about 1000 microns in diameter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said lithium aluminate spheroids are between about 200 and about 800 microns in diameter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids are formed from aluminum nitrate and said aluminum hydroxide spheroids are washed in about 3 weight percent aqueous ammonium hydroxide to rid the spheroids of ammonium nitrate.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of forming lithium aluminate spheroids comprising: forming aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids, washing the gel spheroids with an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution to rid said spheroids of extraneous substances, immersing said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids in a solution of between about 3N and about 5N LiOH to infuse lithium ions into said gel spheroids, rinsing said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution to remove excess lithium ion from the surface thereof, soaking said lithium-infused gel spheroids in isopropyl alcohol to remove said aqueous solution, drying said lithium-infused gel spheroids, and sintering said lithium-infused gel spheroids at a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to form lithium aluminate spheroids.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of forming lithium aluminate spheroids comprising: forming aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids, washing the gel spheroids with an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution to rid said spheroids of extraneous substances, immersing said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids in a solution of between about 3N and about 5N LiOH to infuse lithium ions into said gel spheroids, rinsing said lithium-infused gel spheroids in an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution to remove excess lithium ion from the surface thereof, soaking said lithium-infused gel spheroids in isopropyl alcohol to remove said aqueous solution, drying said lithium-infused gel spheroids, and sintering said lithium-infused gel spheroids at a temperature of between about 1000° C. and about 1400° C. to form lithium aluminate spheroids.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein said lithium-infused gel spheroids are soaked in said isopropyl alcohol for at least about 20 minutes at a temperature above about 50° C.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said lithium aluminate spheroids are between about 100 and about 1000 microns in diameter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein said lithium aluminate spheroids are between about 200 and about 800 microns in diameter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein said aluminum hydroxide gel spheroids are formed from aluminum nitrate and said aluminum hydroxide spheroids are washed in about 3 weight percent aqueous ammonium hydroxide to rid the spheroids of ammonium nitrate.
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