lithium derivatives

Lithium derivatives are chemically or physically modified compounds derived from the element lithium. Targeted conversion produces various lithium salts and compounds that are of central importance in numerous industrial processes. They play a key role in battery manufacturing in particular, as lithium has become indispensable as an energy storage medium.

The most important lithium derivatives include lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium oxide, lithium chloride and lithium fluoride. These salts must be extremely pure, dry and free of impurities for use in the production of lithium-ion batteries. Their manufacture involves many successive process steps – from chemical extraction to filtration and precipitation to final drying.

Vacuum mixing dryers from amixon® are also used for these demanding processes. They enable gentle, energy-efficient and contamination-free drying of high-purity lithium salts. The vacuum reduces the product temperature and accelerates the evaporation of the solvent. At the same time, low relative speeds ensure minimal particle contamination and prevent abrasion.

All components of the amixon® dryer that come into contact with the product can be heated – including the shaft, arms and spiral. This maximises heat transfer and significantly reduces drying time. Once the process is complete, the equipment empties almost completely. Sealing systems and containment interfaces ensure the highest level of purity required for the production of battery raw materials.

At the amixon® technical centre, drying processes can be tested under realistic conditions and scaled up to industrial standards. Temperature, pressure, speed and batch size are precisely adjusted to the specific product requirements. Cooling processes, calcination or working under inert gas conditions can also be simulated.

The Gyraton® mixer from amixon® is available for large-volume mixing tasks. It combines gentle mixing with high energy efficiency and can be operated both in batches and continuously. amixon® thus offers solutions for almost all steps in lithium processing – from suspension to the high-purity end product.