Electrolysis of LiOH for hydrogen supply

The hydrolysis of lithium hydride (LiH) is a promising technique for the supply of hydrogen. LiH can be stored in sealed tanks or cartridges of ∼6% mass effective hydrogen capacity. However, the lack of an efficient recycling method for the byproduct lithium hydroxide (LiOH) has been a limitation to its use. Here, we propose and demonstrate a recycling process based on the hot melt electrolysis of a LiOH–LiCl eutectic mixture at 380 °C. The electrolysis activation potential was measured at 3.08 V. Lithium production was observed around the cathode using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and cyclic voltametry. Current efficiency was estimated 37.9%, and the absence of LiCl decomposition was confirmed.