Japan's Atomic Energy Research and Development Agency has made a groundbreaking advancement by developing a new technology that enables efficient extraction of lithium from seawater. This innovation could significantly benefit Japan, a country that heavily relies on imported lithium, by offering a more cost-effective and sustainable source of this critical resource.
Lithium, a rare and highly valuable metal, is essential for the production of lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Currently, Japan imports all of its lithium, making it vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. While lithium reserves on land are limited—estimated at around 14 million tons—seawater contains an enormous amount of lithium, approximately 230 billion tons. However, extracting lithium from seawater has traditionally been challenging due to its low concentration.
To address this issue, the research team developed a compact device designed to extract lithium from seawater efficiently. The device is a small cube, measuring about 7 centimeters on each side, and features a specialized membrane that allows only lithium ions to pass through. One side of the device is exposed to seawater, while the other is filled with hydrochloric acid. When an electrical current is applied, lithium ions migrate through the membrane into the acidic solution.
Once dissolved in hydrochloric acid, lithium can be easily separated using sodium carbonate, simplifying the final purification process. In laboratory tests, the device successfully extracted approximately 1.8 milligrams of lithium from 25 liters of seawater over 30 days, achieving a lithium extraction rate of over 50%.
This technology represents a major step forward in making seawater a viable source of lithium. The Japan Atomic Energy Research and Development Agency believes that with further development, this method could enable large-scale, low-cost lithium extraction from the ocean, reducing dependency on land-based sources and supporting the global shift toward clean energy technologies.
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