Researchers in the US have developed artificial channels that are up to five times more selective for lithium than other recently developed lithium transporters, potentially offering a simpler way to extract the critical battery material.
The nanoscale channels, developed at the University of Texas at Austin, allow lithium ions to pass through while restricting competing elements commonly found alongside them. The researchers say the channels are among the most selective developed so far.
The technology takes inspiration from biological channels that control the movement of ions and molecules across living cell membranes. By recreating this function in artificial structures, the team aims to separate lithium without relying on conventional extraction methods that can consume substantial energy and produce chemical waste.
Lithium is essential for batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones and energy storage systems. However, extracting it from underground brines, hard rock and recycled batteries remains challenging because it is often mixed with sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
The researchers developed nanoscale pores designed to favor the movement of lithium ions over other dissolved substances.
The channels use two features to achieve this separation: chemical groups positioned near their entrances and a confined internal structure that influences how ions move through them.
As ions approach the opening, they interact with the chemical groups. These interactions, combined with the restricted space inside the channel, help determine which ions can pass through more easily.
In laboratory experiments, the artificial channels demonstrated lithium selectivity two to five times higher than other recently developed lithium transporters, according to the researchers.
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