Nano-sized Lithium Aluminum Layered Double Hydroxides in Lithium Ion Extraction

Abstract

Increasing world demand for lithium is driving innovation in lithium-ion extraction. Current methods employ open-pit mining and salt-lake evaporation. Layered double hydroxide chlorides (LDH) have shown to be effective sorbents of metal ions. Lithium-Aluminum LDH is an environmentally-friendly alternative to selectively extract lithium ions from brine lakes. In this poster, Li-Al LDH on the nanometer scale is compared to larger particles synthesized by ORNL; the smaller nano-particle size corresponds with a higher surface area and thus better adsorption of lithium. Size, structure, and chemical makeup of Li-Al LDH are characterized via DLS, SEM, and XRD respectively. The adsorption isotherms of the nano-scale and larger Li-Al LDH samples are compared via ICP-OES testing.