Grant: Alliance Grants

The world is experiencing an exponential growth of demands for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). With limited lithium resources, battery recycling can help satisfy market demands. Moreover, lithium-containing brine is another potential source, with its reserves greater than lithium mines over the world. In Western Canada, direct extraction of lithium from brine is an emerging opportunity with large scales of mining operations. Both battery recycling and lithium extraction from brine involve a process of selective recovery of lithium ions from solutions. However, current technologies suffer from low recovery efficiency and harmful environmental impacts. Therefore, high-efficiency and environmentally friendly lithium recovery systems are desired. The aim of this project is to develop an enhanced lithium recovery system integrated with composite selective materials. The objectives entail: (1) development of membranes with strong pH tolerance, large capacity, and high reusability, through the fabrication of composite materials (e.g., MOFs, MXenes and ionic liquids); (2) development of electrodes with lithium-intercalation capability as embedded/released through the modification of composite materials; (3) development of porous aerogels with multi-metal selectivity, through the polymerization of desired functional groups; (4) characterization of the developed composite materials to reveal the selective mechanism for lithium, through high-resolution synchrotron-based analyses; (5) application of the developed recovery systems through partnership with Ground Effects Environmental Services Inc. The proposed project will provide an innovative technology for facilitating lithium recovery (and thus reduced reliance on primary mineral resources), pollution control (and thus improved environmental quality), and relevant supply-chain enhancement (and thus enhanced resiliency of Canadian economy). It will also help grow Canadian expertise in sustainable development of critical mineral resources.