College
College of Engineering & Technology (Batten)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Graduate Level
Doctoral
Graduate Program/Concentration
Civil Engineering
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Lithium (Li) is a critical component in modern green energy technologies, serving as the cornerstone for advanced batteries used in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and portable electronics. To address the increasing global demand for lithium, this study explores the synthesis and performance of ion-sieve novel adsorbents derived from the spinel-type precursor Li4Mn4.5Zr0.5O12 (LMZO). The precursor was produced using an economical solid-phase reaction that involved lithium, manganese, magnesium, and zirconium salts. This was followed by a two-stage calcination process involving 200 K for 2 hours and 450 K for 24 hours. Acid activation yielded doped spinel-type adsorbents: H4Mn4.5Zr0.5O12 (HMZO). The resulting adsorbents after acid activation underwent comprehensive characterization using various analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) equipment. The adsorption performance of these materials was evaluated under various conditions, including contact time, solution pH, initial lithium concentration, adsorbent dosage, and temperature. The Zr-doped spinel, HMZO exhibited optimal lithium adsorption with a maximum amount of Li adsorbed qe = 41.39 mg/g at a metal concentration of 200 mg/L, 28.48 mg/g at pH 11, and 32.37 mg/g at 70 °C. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorbent followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Isotherm analysis showed that HMZO adhered to the Freundlich model, indicating multilayer adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces. This study demonstrates the lithium adsorption performances of HMZO adsorbent and their feasibility for lithium recovery from geothermal brine.
Keywords
Geothermal brine, Ion-Sieve, Adsorption, Lithium, Green technology, Batteries
Included in
Chemical Engineering Commons, Civil Engineering Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons
Selective Lithium Extraction Using Ion-Sieves From Geothermal Brine
Lithium (Li) is a critical component in modern green energy technologies, serving as the cornerstone for advanced batteries used in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and portable electronics. To address the increasing global demand for lithium, this study explores the synthesis and performance of ion-sieve novel adsorbents derived from the spinel-type precursor Li4Mn4.5Zr0.5O12 (LMZO). The precursor was produced using an economical solid-phase reaction that involved lithium, manganese, magnesium, and zirconium salts. This was followed by a two-stage calcination process involving 200 K for 2 hours and 450 K for 24 hours. Acid activation yielded doped spinel-type adsorbents: H4Mn4.5Zr0.5O12 (HMZO). The resulting adsorbents after acid activation underwent comprehensive characterization using various analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) equipment. The adsorption performance of these materials was evaluated under various conditions, including contact time, solution pH, initial lithium concentration, adsorbent dosage, and temperature. The Zr-doped spinel, HMZO exhibited optimal lithium adsorption with a maximum amount of Li adsorbed qe = 41.39 mg/g at a metal concentration of 200 mg/L, 28.48 mg/g at pH 11, and 32.37 mg/g at 70 °C. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorbent followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Isotherm analysis showed that HMZO adhered to the Freundlich model, indicating multilayer adsorption on heterogeneous surfaces. This study demonstrates the lithium adsorption performances of HMZO adsorbent and their feasibility for lithium recovery from geothermal brine.
Comments
Environmental Protection Agency P3 Student Design Project, Grant Number: SU840679 Biomass Research Laboratory at Old Dominion University