Lithium is an essential element for rechargeable batteries, especially in electric vehicles, but its extraction has long been inefficient and harmful to the environment.
Now, researchers from Rice University have developed a new method that could change the way lithium is sourced, making it faster, cleaner, and more efficient.
In a study published in Science Advances, the team at Rice University’s Elimelech Lab found a way to extract lithium using solid-state electrolytes (SSEs).
These materials were originally designed for solid-state batteries, but scientists discovered they work exceptionally well as membranes for filtering lithium from liquid sources like wastewater and brine.
Traditional lithium extraction methods require large evaporation ponds and use chemicals that can harm the environment. This new approach, however, offers a more sustainable solution by using advanced membranes that selectively allow lithium ions to pass through while blocking other substances.
Unlike conventional membranes that rely on tiny water-filled pores to transport ions, SSEs use a highly structured crystalline lattice that enables lithium ions to move while preventing other ions, like magnesium and sodium, from getting through.
This unique structure allows for near-perfect lithium separation, which previous technologies struggled to achieve.
“We’re not just improving lithium production—we’re making it more sustainable and cost-effective,” said Professor Menachem Elimelech, one of the researchers leading the study.
To test this new technology, the team used an electrodialysis system, applying an electric field to drive lithium ions through the membrane. Even in environments with high concentrations of other ions, the SSE membranes successfully extracted lithium with no contamination.
“The extreme selectivity of our method means that energy is only used to move lithium ions, making the process more efficient,” said lead author Sohum Patel, now a postdoctoral researcher at MIT.
Computational and experimental studies confirmed that the rigid structure of SSEs acts like a molecular sieve, allowing only lithium ions to pass through while rejecting other elements. Magnesium and sodium, which are commonly found in brines, were completely blocked due to their size and charge.
As demand for lithium continues to grow, industries such as electric vehicles, electronics, and renewable energy are searching for ways to secure stable lithium supplies without relying on environmentally damaging mining operations. This new membrane technology could provide an alternative by extracting lithium directly from water sources, reducing the need for large-scale evaporation ponds and chemical-intensive purification.
“This discovery has the potential to transform lithium production while significantly lowering its environmental impact,” Patel said. “It’s a big step forward for sustainable energy.”
Beyond lithium, researchers believe the same technology could be used to extract other valuable elements from water, opening the door to new solutions for resource recovery.
“Our work could inspire the development of membranes for separating other critical minerals from water,” added Elimelech. “This is just the beginning of a new way to recover essential resources more efficiently.”
With innovations like this, the future of lithium extraction may be both greener and more efficient, ensuring a stable supply for the growing battery industry.
