A Nano‐Heterogeneous Membrane for Efficient Separation of Lithium from High Magnesium/Lithium Ratio Brine
Abstract
Lithium extraction from salt lake brines is highly demanded to circumvent the lithium supply shortage. However, polymer nanofiltration membranes suffer from low lithium permeability while nanofluidic devices are hindered by complicated preparation and miniaturized scales despite high permeability. Here, the authors report a facile strategy to prepare positively charged nanofiltration membranes for ultrapermeable and selective separation of lithium ions from concentrated magnesium/lithium mixtures. A new electrolyte monomer (diaminoethimidazole bromide, DAIB) containing bidentate amine groups is designed to modify pristine polyamide composite membranes. Structure characterizations and simulations show that the DAIB modification brings about nano‐heterogeneity that not only improves surface hydrophilicity, but also reduces water transport resistance through the ≈100 nm thick separation layer. Water permeance of the modified membrane improves fivefold and is coupled with good stability in 200‐h continuous nanofiltration. It exhibits high lithium flux (0.7 mol m−2 h−1) for brines (Mg 2+/Li+ ratio 20) at 6 bar operation pressure.
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Nanofiltration membrane separation is considered one of the most efficient methods for extracting lithium from brine.
“nanofiltration (NF) membrane separation15–17 is considered one of the most efficient methods for extracting lithium from brine.”
From Solar-driven membrane separation for direct lithium extraction from artificial salt-lake brine (2024) · cites this paper as [17]
Cites
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Lithium recovery from brine: Recent developments and challenges
Khalil, A., Mohammed, S., Hashaikeh, R., & Hilal, N. (2022) · Desalination · doi:10.1016/j.desal.2022.115611 · Cited by 396 · see citing works
Solar-driven membrane separation for direct lithium extraction from artificial salt-lake brine
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“Compared to conventionalion separation technologies such as ion exchange 12 , electrodialysis 13 , and solvent extraction 14 , nano fi ltration (NF) membrane separation 15 – 17 is considered one of the most ef fi cient methods for extracting lithium from brine.”
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- Authors
- Peng, H., & Zhao, Q.
- Affiliations
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Zhao, Qiang
- Venue
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2021-01-27
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 14
- ISSN
- 1616-301X (ISSN-L)
- 1616-3028
- OpenAlex
- W3122260922
- Cited by
- 389
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 66 · 2025: 97 · 2024: 108 · 2023: 55 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 16
- FWCI
- 16.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Advanced Functional Materials (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Basic Research Program of China (2019YFC1806000)
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology (3004013118)
- Zhejiang University (2018MSF06)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Membrane Separation Technologies
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Membrane-based Ion Separation Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Nanopore and Nanochannel Transport Studies
- Keywords
- lithium recovery, salt lake brine, nanofiltration membranes, lithium-magnesium separation, polyamide composite membranes, membrane surface hydrophilicity, water permeance, lithium selectivity, membrane stability
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