Closed-loop electrochemical regeneration of sodium sulfate waste streams into sulfuric acid and caustic soda

The rapid growth of lithium-ion battery manufacturing is generating increasing volumes of sulfate-rich waste streams that challenge the scalability and sustainability of direct lithium extraction systems. Sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), a major byproduct generated during lithium refining, cathode production, and battery recycling, can reach 2–3.6 kg per kilogram of cathode material and currently lacks scalable disposal pathways.

This project develops a modular electrochemical platform that converts sulfate-rich brines into reusable sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide through a low-voltage hydrogen-mediated process. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on energy-intensive crystallization and centralized chemical production, the system enables distributed, on-site chemical regeneration directly integrated with lithium processing infrastructure. By transforming industrial waste streams into valuable process chemicals, this technology aims to reduce waste generation and support a lower-carbon, scalable domestic critical minerals supply chain for next-generation battery manufacturing.