Abstract
Lithium is a key component in rechargeable batteries and due to the global energy transition the demand for lithium is rapidly increasing. Efficient recovery methods for lithium from both lithium-bearing brines and ores as well as from end-of-life batteries are essential to meet this demand. In this study, advanced electrodialysis was successfully applied to recover lithium from relatively dilute chloride- and sulfate-based solutions. The influence of temperature and current density on lithium recovery was investigated, focusing on specific energy consumption and current efficiency. The optimum performance in terms of energy efficiency was achieved at 30°C and 50 A m-2 for the specific feed composition in the chloride system. Sodium, present as an impurity, exhibited higher transport rates through the cation-exchange membrane compared to lithium. In feeds containing aluminum ions, scale formation occurred rapidly on the catholyte side of the cation exchange membrane due to a higher pH. The chemical nature of the starting catholyte also affected the performance, showing a higher current efficiency for lithium when using diluted KOH instead of diluted LiOH as initial catholyte. Overall, the results provide insights on how to optimize lithium recovery by advanced electrodialysis.