Ukuhlola Nokuthola Izinto Ezintsha
Kubukeka sengathi i-lithium kanye ne-lithium hydroxides zizohlala zikhona, okwamanje: naphezu kocwaningo olunzulu ngezinto ezisetshenziswayo, akukho lutho oluseduze olungathatha indawo ye-lithium njengesisekelo sobuchwepheshe bebhethri besimanje.
Amanani e-lithium hydroxide (LiOH) kanye ne-lithium carbonate (LiCO3) abelokhu ehla ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezedlule futhi ukushintshashintsha kwemakethe kwakamuva akusithuthukisi isimo. Kodwa-ke, naphezu kocwaningo olunzulu ngezinto ezisetshenziswayo, akukho lutho oluseduze olungathatha indawo ye-lithium njengesisekelo sobuchwepheshe bebhethri besimanje eminyakeni embalwa ezayo. Njengoba sazi kubakhiqizi bezinhlobo ezahlukene zebhethri le-lithium, udeveli ulele emininingwaneni futhi yilapho ulwazi lutholakala khona ukuze kuthuthukiswe kancane kancane ubuningi bamandla, ikhwalithi kanye nokuphepha kwamaseli.
Njengoba izimoto ezintsha zikagesi (ama-EV) zethulwa cishe njalo ngeviki, imboni ifuna imithombo nobuchwepheshe obuthembekile. Kulabo abakhiqizi bezimoto akubalulekile ukuthi kwenzekani ezindaweni zokucwaninga. Badinga imikhiqizo lapha namanje.
Ukushintsha kusuka ku-lithium carbonate kuya ku-lithium hydroxide
Kuze kube muva nje i-lithium carbonate ibilokhu igxile kubakhiqizi abaningi bamabhethri e-EV, ngoba imiklamo yamabhethri akhona ibidinga ama-cathode asebenzisa le nto eluhlaza. Kodwa-ke, lokhu sekuzoshintsha. I-lithium hydroxide nayo iyinto eluhlaza ebalulekile ekukhiqizweni kwama-cathode ebhethri, kodwa itholakala kancane kakhulu kune-lithium carbonate njengamanje. Nakuba ingumkhiqizo okhethekile kakhulu kune-lithium carbonate, isetshenziswa nabakhiqizi abakhulu bamabhethri, abancintisana nemboni yokugcoba yezimboni ngezinto ezifanayo zokusetshenziswa. Ngakho-ke, ukutholakala kwe-lithium hydroxide kulindeleke ukuthi kube yinto encane kakhulu kamuva.
Izinzuzo ezibalulekile zama-cathode ebhethri le-lithium hydroxide uma kuqhathaniswa nezinye izinhlanganisela zamakhemikhali zifaka phakathi ubuningi bamandla obungcono (umthamo webhethri owengeziwe), umjikelezo wokuphila isikhathi eside kanye nezici zokuphepha ezithuthukisiwe.
Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, isidingo esivela embonini yamabhethri aphinde ashajwe sibonise ukukhula okunamandla kuwo wonke ama-2010, kanye nokusetshenziswa okwandayo kwamabhethri amakhulu e-lithium-ion ezisetshenziswayo zezimoto. Ngo-2019, amabhethri aphinde ashajwe abalelwa ku-54% wesidingo se-lithium, cishe ngokuphelele kubuchwepheshe bebhethri le-Li-ion. Nakuba ukwanda okusheshayo kokuthengiswa kwezimoto ezihlanganisiwe nezikagesi kuqondise ukunaka esidingweni sama-compound e-lithium, ukuthengiswa okuwa engxenyeni yesibili ka-2019 eShayina - imakethe enkulu kunazo zonke yama-EV - kanye nokwehla komhlaba wonke kokuthengiswa okubangelwa ukuvalwa okuhlobene nobhubhane lwe-COVID-19 engxenyeni yokuqala ka-2020 kubeke 'amabhuleki' esikhashana ekukhuleni kwesidingo se-lithium, ngokuthinta isidingo esivela kokubili kubasebenzisi bebhethri kanye nezimboni. Izimo zesikhathi eside ziyaqhubeka nokukhombisa ukukhula okunamandla kwesidingo se-lithium eminyakeni eyishumi ezayo, nokho, njengoba i-Roskill ibikezela isidingo ukuthi sidlule i-1.0Mt LCE ngo-2027, nokukhula okungaphezu kuka-18% ngonyaka kuya ku-2030.
Lokhu kukhombisa ukuthambekela kokutshala imali eningi ekukhiqizweni kwe-LiOH uma kuqhathaniswa ne-LiCO3; futhi yilapho umthombo we-lithium usebenza khona: idwala le-spodumene liguquguquka kakhulu ngokwenqubo yokukhiqiza. Livumela ukukhiqizwa okulula kwe-LiOH kuyilapho ukusetshenziswa kwe-lithium brine kuvame ukuholela ku-LiCO3 njengomxhumanisi wokukhiqiza i-LiOH. Ngakho-ke, izindleko zokukhiqiza ze-LiOH ziphansi kakhulu nge-spodumene njengomthombo esikhundleni se-brine. Kusobala ukuthi, ngobuningi be-lithium brine etholakala emhlabeni, ekugcineni ubuchwepheshe obusha benqubo kumele buthuthukiswe ukuze kusetshenziswe kahle lo mthombo. Njengoba izinkampani ezahlukahlukene ziphenya izinqubo ezintsha sizobona lokhu ekugcineni, kodwa okwamanje, i-spodumene iyindlela ephephile.
