A new membrane mimics biological cell transport to extract lithium faster, cleaner, and more efficiently.

The University of Texas at Austin designed bioinspired nanoscale artificial channels embedded in membranes. The tiny synthetic pores let lithium ions pass through while blocking competing ions (sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium). 

“Lithium is in our phones, our cars, and the power grid, but getting it out of the ground cleanly is still a hard problem. Our goal is a process that is faster, cleaner, and easier to run,” said Manish Kumar, a professor in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering.

Existing purification methods depend on evaporation ponds, long processing timelines, and harsh chemicals that generate toxic environmental waste. Finding efficient, eco-friendly ways to separate lithium from these competing ions is important in times of growing supply chain issues.

Off late, various solutions have already been emerging from around the world. In this new work, the Texas team turned to biology for a faster solution.

It focused on artificial nanoscale channels that mimic the selective biological doors found in living cells. 

According to the study, the synthetic pores were made from ring-shaped pillar[5]arene molecules with specialized chemical “handles” at their entrances. This act as a precise bouncer, filtering out lithium ions from competing elements. 

Under an electric field, these channels achieve extraordinary precision. Conservative estimates place the channels’ selectivity at 94 times more likely to transport lithium over sodium, and over 280 times more selective against bulky magnesium ions.

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