Scientists have developed an innovative, eco-friendly way to extract lithium to meet the growing demand for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage. Current extraction methods harm the environment, but this innovative technique uses electricity and newly developed membranes to extract lithium from salty lake water while leaving other metal ions behind.
The study brings together experts from the UK, France, and China.
Co-author Professor Melanie Britton of the University of Birmingham noted, “This breakthrough could significantly enhance lithium extraction and support the production of batteries for devices like smartphones and electric vehicles.”
The process uses cutting-edge filtration membranes with tiny nanoscale channels to separate lithium from other salts in brine through selective electrodialysis. These membranes are specially designed to recognize ions based on their charges, resulting in very pure lithium carbonate, which is crucial for making batteries.
New method for faster, greener lithium extraction
Dr. Qilei Song from Imperial College London, who led the research, highlighted its potential to reduce the environmental impact of lithium mining and its broader applications in recovering critical metals from wastewater and recycling efforts.
PhD student Louie Lovell studied how water and ions travel through the membranes, showing how their size and properties impact the process. This innovation paves the way for greener energy storage and cleaner lithium extraction.
Journal Reference:
- Yang, D., Yang, Y., Wong, T. et al. Solution-processable polymer membranes with hydrophilic subnanometer pores for sustainable lithium extraction. Nat Water (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44221-025-00398-8qw
Source: Tech Explorist
