Lithium has become a fundamental element to power our present: we find it in the batteries of our smartphones, electric vehicles and in energy storage systems that support renewable energies. But however essential it is, the way it is extracted today has a heavy impact on the environment.
The traditional extraction, in fact, involves high costs, poor efficiency and serious environmental damage, especially when it comes to exploiting saline resources such as the waters of salted lakes. Now, however, a group of researchers has developed an alternative method, powered by the sun, which could radically change things.
The study, published on Advanced Functional Materialsdescribes a system that uses a solar evaporator capable of separating the lithium from the saline waters and, at the same time, transform them into fresh water.
A material capable of capturing lithium and purifying the water at the same time
The heart of the process is a material called λ-Mno₂, a form of manganese dioxide that has a particular affinity with lithium. In practice, he manages to “capture” the lithium ions present in the salted water, leaving the other unwanted elements out.
During field tests, the system reached a lithium selectivity equal to 89.50%, a very high result. Not only that: the water resulting from the process complies with the standards of the World Health Organization, therefore drinking. A double benefit: clean lithium and fresh water.
The system only works with solar energy and, compared to current methods, consumes 87% less energy. But the most impressive data concerns the environment: we speak of a reduced impact of up to 93%, with an estimated cost of just 5.31 euros per extracted lithium unit.
Yu Tang, professor of Chemistry at the University of Lanzhou, China, and co-author of the study, said:
This approach is scalable and ecological.
According to him, this technology could become a real industrial alternative, especially at a time when global lithium demand is growing and at the same time increases the need to reduce emissions and protect water resources.
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