Scientists have learned how to obtain pure lithium from sea water

A group of engineers from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia) created a revolutionary method obtaining pure and most importantly cheap lithium suitable for use in rechargeable batteries from ordinary sea ​​water.

At the same time, the proposed method of extracting this strategically important component for batteries turned out to be much more effective than those previously used in industry.

Early attempts to extract lithium from seawater and a new method

Methods previously used by scientists to extract lithium from a mixture of metals present in seawater have yielded very modest results. Despite the fact that sea waters contain about 5,000 times more lithium than can be found on average in the depths of the earth, the concentration of lithium is only 0.0002%.

In order to maximize the efficiency of extracting lithium from seawater, scientists decided to apply an innovative method in which it was decided to use ceramic membranes made of metal oxides (LLTO).

In this case, in the lattice of the membrane used, there were sufficiently large holes through which lithium ions pass freely enough, but there are no other metal ions.

In this case, the cell itself consists of three chambers, where in one of them positively charged lithium ions pass through LLTO - membranes into the next chamber, in which there is a buffer solution and a copper cathode additionally coated with platinum and ruthenium.

Negatively charged lithium ions are passed through a standard anion-filtering membrane, then enter another chamber, where a sodium chloride solution and a platinum-ruthenium anode are present.

Tests of a new method for obtaining lithium and its results

Engineers tested their lithium production plant using water from the Red Sea. And as a result of the conducted electrolysis, they managed to increase the concentration of lithium in the enriched solution to 0.9%, which was later used for purification.

In order for the resulting lithium to meet the stringent standards of battery manufacturers batteries, the engineers also performed an important optimization of the acidity of the solution to obtain a solid lithium phosphate.

So, according to the statements of the representatives of the group, in order to obtain one kilogram of lithium in this way, it will be necessary to spend about five dollars in electricity. At the same time, the further use of hydrogen and chlorine (which are released during electrolysis) will easily pay off electricity costs, and after processing the remaining seawater can be used for further desalination.

The scientists shared the results of the work done on the pages of the journal Energy & Environmental Science.

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