Lithium Lithium ion-selective membrane with 2D subnanometer channels

In the last two years, the rapidly rising demand for lithium has exceeded supply, resulting in a sharp increase in the price of the metal. Conventional electric driven membrane processes can separate Li+ from divalent cations, but there is virtually no commercial membrane that can efficiently and selectively extract Li+ from a solution containing chemically similar ions such as Na+ and K+. Here, we show that the different movement behavior of Li+ ion within the sub-nanometre channel leads to Li+ ion-selectivity and high transport rate. Using inexpensive negatively charged 2D subnanometer hydrous phyllosilicate channels with interlayer space of 0.43 nm in a membrane-like morphology, we observed that for an interlayer spacing of below 1 nm, Li+ ions move along the length of the channel by jumping between its two walls. However, for above 1 nm spacing, the ions used only one channel wall to jump and travel. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation also revealed that ions within the nanochannel exhibit acceleration deceleration behavior. Experimental results showed that the nanochannels could selectively transport monovalent ions of Li+> Na+> and K+ while excluding other ions such as Cl- and Ca2+, with the selectivity ratios of 1.26, 1.59 and 1.36 for Li+/Na+, Li+/K+. and Na+/K+ respectively, which far exceed the mobility ratios in traditional porous ion exchange membranes. The findings of this work provide researchers with not only a new understanding of ions movement behavior within subnanometer confined areas but also make a platform for the future design of ion-selective membranes. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.