Work

Manganese-based lithium-ion sieve prepared by chelation with aluminum sec-butoxide for an extremely low manganese dissolution rate and extended service life

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The growth of the lithium battery industry has significantly heightened interest in the recovery of lithium ions from salt lakes, prompting advancements in lithium-ion sieves. However, manganese-based lithium-ion sieves experience considerable manganese dissolution during the regeneration process, which adversely affects their service life. To address this issue and enhance lithium adsorption in brines with high Mg2+/Li+ ratios, aluminum sec-butoxide was utilized to combine with a chelated compound of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and manganese carbonate. Through a series of processes involving high-temperature calcination, hydrothermal reactions, and acid treatment, aluminum-doped manganese-based lithium-ion sieves (HAEMO) were produced. Notably, HAEMO with 6% aluminum doping (HAEMO-6%) demonstrated a specific surface area of 93.53 m²/g and a lithium adsorption capacity of 37.82 mg/g. After undergoing five regeneration cycles, HAEMO-6% retained 90% of its initial capacity, with a manganese dissolution rate of less than 0.83%, in contrast to 1.60% observed in the undoped variant. The superior performance of HAEMO-6% can be attributed to the uniform distribution of aluminum throughout the adsorbent matrix, which effectively minimizes Mn3+ content and consequently reduces manganese dissolution, thereby prolonging operational life. Additionally, it exhibits remarkable selectivity for Li+ in high Mg2+/Li+ brines, achieving an optimized capacity of 22.89 mg/g. This positions HAEMO-6% as a promising candidate for lithium extraction from salt lakes.

Source: Chemical Engineering Journal

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.162274