Scientists Find Cheap And Easy Way To Extract Lithium From Seawater

[Budi]

Tho still in early stages of development, its encouraging to know Science is always searching for ways to improve.
Especially concerning environmentally toxic damage from mining & extreme depletion of water tables with extraction of Lithium.
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HERE'S HOW Scientists Did It:
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Scientists-Find-Cheap-And-Easy-Way-To-Extract-Lithium-From-Seawater.html


In a paper published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science, the researchers explain that the membrane’s crystal structure contains holes just wide enough to let lithium ions pass through while blocking larger metal ions.

The cell itself, on the other hand, contains three compartments.
Seawater flows into a central feed chamber, where positive lithium ions pass through the LLTO membrane into a side compartment that contains a buffer solution and a copper cathode coated with platinum and ruthenium.

At the same time, negative ions exit the feed chamber through a standard anion exchange membrane, passing into a third compartment containing a sodium chloride solution and a platinum-ruthenium anode.

Lai and his group tested the system using seawater from the Red Sea. At a voltage of 3.25V, the cell generates hydrogen gas at the cathode and chlorine gas at the anode. This drives the transport of lithium through the LLTO membrane, where it accumulates in the side-chamber. This lithium-enriched water then becomes the feedstock for four more cycles of processing, eventually reaching a concentration of more than 9,000 ppm.


To make the final product pure enough so that it meets battery manufacturers’ requirements, the scientists then adjusted the pH of the solution to deliver solid lithium phosphate that contains mere traces of other metal ions.

According to the researchers, the cell will probably need $5 of electricity to extract 1 kilogram of lithium from seawater.
This means that the value of hydrogen and chlorine produced by the cell would end up offsetting the cost of power, and residual seawater could also be used in desalination plants to provide fresh water.
MORE....

[captain queeg]

1. This would be great if someone pursues it.

Wonder if the Red Sea is special or if any sea water would work?

[Budi]

2. I thought about that also. Do different areas of the seas contain various levels?

I'm no scientist.
But am just blown away impressed by the fact that these Scientists have such knowledge & curiosity to carry out the concept & experiments to bring it to this viable conclusion

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Not much different. The Red Sea does connect to the Indian Ocean.

It's a little saltier than the larger ocean, because of greater evaporation at that latitude, but not enormously so.

[localroger]

4. The Red Sea is much saltier than the open ocean

This probably made the process go faster but the chemistry should also work with ordinary ocean salt water.

[OnlinePoker]

6. The university that researched this is King Abdullah University

This is located at Thuwal, Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea.

[mitch96]

3. Welp, there go the lithium stocks... Look to see who dumped them before the anouncement.nt

[mopinko]

5. hmmm. seems like a process you could use to do a lot of things.

sounds amazing if you dont recognize it as basic chemistry in action.
seems like a process that could be applied to my pet peeve- coal ash.

has lithium at low levels, but certainly higher than sea water.
and so much more.

i can see a multi stage thing. multiple materials for cathodes and diodes. multiple filters.

[Budi]

7. Yes! Coal ash is horrid toxic stuff.

Glad for the possbilities this thinking presents.

[eppur_se_muova]

8. 9000 ppm 0.9% If that refers to solution, that's 1/4 conc'n of oceanic NaCl ...

... just to give a better feel for conc'n.

"Biological saline" is 0.9% salt.

(No, I'm not using molarity because most people have no idea what that means. Chemists like me can do their own conversion.)

The Dead Sea was last reported to be 34.2% salt. Maybe SA and Israel should cut a deal to mine lithium from the Dead Sea ? Interesting.

Actually, the Great Salt Lake is reported to be unusually rich in Li. Could lead to a Muslim/Mormon business alliance ??