SBIR Phase II: Enhanced Lithium Isotope Separation

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目的更广泛/商业影响是一个新的国内商业富集锂同位素来源。美国核电工业需要浓缩的氢氧化锂7来防止其现有的压水堆被腐蚀。目前，这种战略材料是在美国以外供应的，最近的供应中断危及了美国20%的发电能力。从长远来看，开发更安全、影响更小的核能发电新技术对于实现美国和全球减少碳排放的目标至关重要。熔盐反应堆是最有前途的技术之一，它需要大量的浓缩锂-7的商业化生产。从更长远的角度来看，许多正在开发的聚变能源技术将需要浓缩锂-6。锂同位素的计划生产将使更安全、影响更小的核能的开发和商业化成为可能。这项小型企业创新研究第二期项目建议在中试规模的生产系统中实施液体/液体萃取法富集锂。迄今为止，这种类型的提取尚未用于商业锂同位素富集。第二阶段的工作将导致设计第一个商业规模的生产工艺。锂同位素富集的创新方法也将适用于其他稳定同位素的纯化。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is a new domestic commercial source of enriched lithium isotopes. The U.S. nuclear power industry requires enriched lithium-7 hydroxide to prevent corrosion in its present fleet of pressurized water reactors. Currently, this strategic material is supplied outside the U.S. and recent supply disruptions jeopardize 20% of the U.S. electrical generation capability. Longer term, the development of safer, lower-impact, new technologies for nuclear power generation is critical to meet the U.S. and global goals of reducing carbon emissions. One of the most promising technologies, molten salt reactors, will require commercial production of large quantities of enriched lithium-7. Even longer term, many of the fusion energy technologies in development will require enriched lithium-6. The planned production of lithium isotopes will enable the development and commercialization of safer, lower-impact nuclear energy.This Small Business Innovative Research Phase II project proposes the implementation of a liquid/liquid extraction method for lithium enrichment in a pilot-scale production system. To date, this type of extraction has not been employed for commercial lithium isotope enrichment. The Phase II work will result in the design of the first commercial-scale production process. The innovative approach to lithium isotope enrichment will also have applicability in the purification of other stable isotopes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.