Argonne National Laboratory develops membrane technology for efficient lithium extraction from water

The new vermiculite-based membrane provides a cost-effective solution for selective lithium ion capture, addressing supply chain vulnerabilities

Researchers at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have developed a new membrane technology designed to efficiently extract lithium from water, aiming to address growing concerns about lithium supply and demand. This innovative technology, which sees collaboration with the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, responds to vulnerabilities in the current supply chain, which predominantly relies on hard-rock mining and salt lakes in limited geographical areas.