Researchers have developed eco-friendly lithium technology used for electric vehicle batteries. newswise

Researchers have developed eco-friendly lithium technology used for electric vehicle batteries. newswise


WASHINGTON (January 22, 2025) – Researchers at George Washington University, in collaboration with other institutions, have developed an innovative method to directly extract and purify lithium from geothermal brine that can be used to make batteries found in electric cars. Can be done for. Researchers say the ability to extract lithium from alternative sources is critical to the clean energy transition and resource independence in countries like the US.

The process, which avoids harsh chemicals that can be harmful to the environment, uses a special material that selectively captures lithium ions from brine. The captured lithium is then converted into lithium chloride and finally lithium hydroxide, a grade suitable for electric vehicle batteries. The team conducted further economic analysis and found that this method could produce battery-grade lithium at a competitive cost.

According to the researchers, existing sources of lithium, including hard-rock mining and salt flats, are insufficient to meet future global needs. This study offers an environmentally friendly solution that utilizes resources of geothermal brine, particularly from sources such as the Salton Sea in California.

The researchers’ technique will be tested extensively in the coming years.

the study, “Electro-driven direct lithium extraction from geothermal brine to generate battery-grade lithium hydroxide”was published in Nature Communications.

lead researcher zitong liu is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is available to provide information on this study.

If you would like to schedule an interview with Zitong Liu, please contact Caitlin Deckelbaum. (email protected),

-GW-

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