Optimization of lithium electrosorption from brine deposit

Lithium (Li) is being used in various applications such as the manufacturing of glass, ceramics, rubbers, pharmaceuticals, and especially the production of lithium-ion batteries. It has been found that 87% of the global lithium resources exist as lithium ions in the brine of saline lakes. The conventional techniques for the recovery of lithium from brine deposits are expensive and their usefulness is limited due to the impurity of the product. In order to recover lithium from low-concentration lithium solution, the adsorption method is effective. However, the adsorbents that have been employed in adsorbing lithium, such as manganese dioxide adsorbents, are expensive for industrial use. Activated carbons (ACs) are known as economical and effective adsorbents but have a relatively low adsorption capacity for lithium. The aim of this research is to investigate whether AC (a cost-effective adsorbent) could adsorb lithium from brine by electrosorption, as well as examine the relationships between voltage-current, pH, contact time, and adsorption density recovery. The ultimate aim was to find the optimum conditions for ACs to adsorb lithium from brine. The main findings of this work are that the adsorption density of AC for lithium was 1.1 mg/g, whereas Li desorption rate from the loaded adsorbent was 49%.