Solar-Powered Device Developed for Lithium Harvesting with Lower Emissions

Researchers have developed a solar-powered device capable of extracting lithium from brines while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, offering a potential alternative for more sustainable lithium production—an essential resource for rechargeable batteries.

The floating device, created by a team led by Baoxia Mi from the University of California, Berkeley, and Jia Zhu from Nanjing University, takes inspiration from plants that extract ions from salty environments.

Using a hierarchically structured membrane system, the device extracts lithium salts from saline sources while seeking to minimize costs and environmental impact.

The solar transpiration-powered technology relies solely on sunlight, reducing the need for external energy inputs and lowering the carbon footprint associated with lithium extraction.

Each module can harvest an average of 33.2 milligrams of lithium per square meter per day from brines containing three milligrams of lithium per liter.