New method could offer a sustainable solution for lithium recovery

Society is experiencing increased global demand for lithium, a critical resource for rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and energy storage systems. Conventional lithium extraction methods from ore reserves or liquid lithium resources are saddled with low efficiency, high costs, and environmental concerns, but researchers have now developed a promising new method.

As described in Advanced Functional Materials, the method involves a solar-powered evaporator that extracts lithium from saline, or salt, lakes. The method relies on narrow bandgap λ-MnO₂, a form of manganese dioxide with a high affinity for lithium, that can extract lithium from salt water while simultaneously desalinating it to generate freshwater.

In field tests, the method achieved 89.50% lithium selectivity and produced freshwater compliant with the World Health Organization, indicating that it holds potential as a solution for both lithium recovery and water purification. It also achieved an 87% reduction in energy demand and a 77.35–93.11% lower environmental cost (5.31 euros per unit mass) compared with conventional methods.

“This work establishes a scalable and eco-friendly pathway for lithium extraction from abundant saline resources, while simultaneously advancing global decarbonization goals through the integration of renewable solar energy with zero-liquid-discharge water purification, demonstrating tremendous potential for practical application,” said co–corresponding author Yu Tang, Professor of Chemistry, Lanzhou University, in China.