APPLICATION OF BINDERLESS ZEOLITE MOLECULAR SIEVES FOR THE DRYING OF CARBONATES USED AS ELETROLYTIC SOLVENTS

1 . A method for producing a dehydrated liquid mixture comprising water in an amount of less than 20 ppm, the method comprising contacting a liquid starting mixture with an amount of a binderless zeolite molecular sieve, such that a water content of the liquid starting mixture is reduce to less than 20 ppm based a total amount of the liquid starting mixture,

wherein the liquid starting mixture comprises:

a total amount of 90% by weight or more, based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture, of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of organic carbonates, acetic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols and butyric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, wherein the total amount of acetic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols and butyric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols is in the range of from 0 to 45% by weight, based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture; and

water in a total amount of 3500 ppm to 20 ppm, based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture; and.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid starting mixture comprises at least one carbonate of (I):

wherein:

R1 and R2 independently denote an alkyl group having one or more carbon atoms; or

R1 and R2 together constitute a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene bridge linking the esterified oxygens of the diester.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid starting mixture comprising at least one organic carbonate selected from the group consisting of dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate, propylene carbonate, fluoroethylene carbonate, 4,4-dimethyl-5-methylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, 4-methyl-5-methylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, 4-methylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one, vinyl ethylene carbonate and ethylene carbonate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein 70% to 100% by weight of the zeolite molecular sieve material contacted with the liquid starting mixture is a sodium zeolite molecular sieve, based on the total amount of zeolite molecular sieve material contacted with the liquid starting mixture.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid starting mixture comprises 92% by weight or more of at least one organic carbonate, based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid starting mixture comprises ethyl methyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, and diethyl carbonate.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of water in the liquid starting mixture is in the range of from 3000 ppm to 20 ppm based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the binderless zeolite molecular sieve comprises shaped bodies.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the zeolite of the binderless zeolite molecular sieve is a synthetically manufactured zeolite.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid starting mixture further comprises at least one further constituent selected from the group consisting of biphenyl, cyclohexylbenzene, ethylene sulfide, methacrylic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, partly- or perfluorinated methacrylic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, acrylic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols and partly- or perfluorinated acrylic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, boronic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, partly- or perfluorinated boronic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, boric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, partly- or perfluorinated boric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, partly- or perfluorinated acetic acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, partly- or perfluorinated butyric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, di alkyl sulfides, carboxylic acid nitriles, conducting salts, phosphoric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, partly- or perfluorinated phosphoric acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols, phosphorous acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols and partly- or perfluorinated phosphorous acid esters of C1 to C8 alcohols.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the binderless zeolite molecular sieve is present as a packed bed, loaded with the binderless zeolite molecular sieve.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting is performed in a packed bed of a dehydration column loaded with the binderless zeolite molecular sieve.

13 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting the liquid starting mixture with an amount of the binderless zeolite molecular sieve such that the water content in the mixture is reduced to an amount of less than 15 ppm based on the total amount of the dehydrated liquid mixture.

14 . The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting a liquid starting mixture with an amount of a binderless zeolite molecular sieve such that a water content of the liquid starting mixture is reduced to an amount of:

(i) less than 20 ppm but more than 15 ppm, based on a total amount of dehydrated liquid mixture, wherein a ratio of a total weight of the liquid starting mixture and a total weight of the binderless zeolite molecular sieve contacted therewith is in the range of from 1100 to 180 kilogram liquid starting mixture per kilogram binderless zeolite molecular sieve,

or

(ii) 15 ppm to 8 ppm, based on the total amount of the dehydrated liquid mixture, wherein the ratio of the total weight of the liquid starting mixture and the total weight of the binderless zeolite molecular sieve contacted therewith is in the range of from 650 to 120 kilogram liquid starting mixture per kilogram binderless zeolite molecular sieve,

wherein the liquid starting mixture comprises:

at least one organic carbonate in a total amount of 90% by weight or more based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture, and

water in a total amount of 500 ppm to 100 ppm based on the total amount of the liquid starting mixture.

15 . A method of producing an electrolyte mixture, the method comprising

mixing the dehydrated liquid mixture of claim 1 with one or more conducting salts and optionally with further ingredients.