Sea to Cell The Future of Lithium Extraction from Ocean Water.pptx

Sea to Cell The Future of Lithium Extraction from Ocean Water

1. Sea to Cell: The Future of Lithium Extraction from Ocean Water C GAYATHRI 2 nd year Department of Biotechnology SSIET 14/05/2024 1

2. Outlook: Introduction Lithium reserves Challenges of Land based Lithium mining Breakthrough in Sea water: Lithium Extraction Methods Cost effectiveness and Byproducts Environmental and Economic Benefits Impact on the Battery Industry Conclusion 2

3. Introduction: Lithium extraction from seawater is a promising source for future lithium supply because the ocean contains 230 billion tons of lithium, which is more than 10,000 times the amount found on land. However, lithium is only present in seawater at a concentration of 0.1–0.2 parts per million (ppm), so large volumes of water need to be processed to extract even small amounts of lithium. Lithium (Li) demand will continue to increase significantly over the next few decades, with estimates of 56 million annual electric vehicle sales and energy-storage deployment of over 1,095 GW globally by 2040. 3

4. Chile has the largest reserves of lithium worldwide, accounting for over one-third of the total reserves as of 2023. This was followed by Australia, with a 22.4 percent share of global lithium reserves that year. Meanwhile, the United States accounted only for about four percent of the world’s reserves of lithium. Lithium reserves 4

5. Challenges of Land based Lithium mining Land-based Lithium Extraction: Conventional Methods: Primarily extracted from hard rock mines (e.g., spodumene ) or lithium-rich brine deposits (e.g., in salt flats). Environmental Impact: Can result in habitat destruction, water contamination, and carbon emissions from mining and processing. Ocean-based Lithium Extraction: Abundance : Lithium is present in vast quantities in seawater, offering a nearly limitless resource compared to land-based deposits. Lower Environmental Impact: Extraction methods often utilize selective adsorbents or membranes, minimizing habitat disruption and pollution. Energy Efficiency: Ocean-based extraction can potentially be powered by renewable energy sources such as solar or wave power, reducing carbon footprint. 5

6. Recently, various research groups have explored methods to efficiently and selectively extract Li from seawater. Examples include the use of renewable and recyclable hydrogen manganese oxide (HMO)-modified cellulose film to absorb Li5 and a solar-powered electrolysis technique using a NASICON (sodium super ionic conductor) solid-state electrolyte as the selective membrane for Li extraction. Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia have figured out how to extract lithium, an essential part of electric vehicle batteries, from seawater in a more cost-effective way. They made ceramic membrane From Lithium lanthanum titanium oxide (LLTO). Its crystal structure contains holes just wide enough to let lithium ions pass through while blocking larger metal ions. The cell contains three compartments. Seawater flows into a central feed chamber, where positive lithium ions pass through the LLTO membrane into a side compartment that contains a buffer solution and a copper cathode coated with platinum and ruthenium. Meanwhile, negative ions exit the feed chamber through a standard anion exchange membrane, passing into a third compartment containing a sodium chloride solution and a platinum-ruthenium anode. Breakthrough in Sea water: Lithium Extraction Methods 6

7. Breakthrough in Sea water: Lithium Extraction Methods At a voltage of 3.25V, the cell generates hydrogen gas at the cathode and chlorine gas at the anode. This drives the transport of lithium through the LLTO membrane, where it accumulates in the side chamber. This lithium-enriched water then becomes the feedstock for four more cycles of processing, eventually reaching a concentration of more than 9,000 ppm. Adjusting the pH of this solution delivers solid lithium phosphate that contains mere traces of other metal ions — pure enough to meet battery manufacturers’ requirements. 7

8. Cost effectiveness and Byproducts Natural Li extraction and refinement currently involving multistep processes, including evaporation, selective adsorption/desorption, electrodialysis , and/or precipitation of various contaminants. These processes use large quantities of reagents, require significant waste management, and are energy inefficient, contributing to the overall cost and negative environmental impact of Li extraction But in the case of Sea water Lithium Extraction , The researchers estimate that the cell would need only $5 of electricity to extract 1 kilogram of lithium from seawater, and the value of hydrogen and chlorine produced by the cell would more than offset the cost. Further, residual seawater could be used in desalination plants to provide freshwater. 8

9. Environmental and Economic Benefits Reduced Land Degradation Lower Water Consumption Decreased Greenhouse Gas Emissions Minimized Waste Generation Reduced Impact on Sensitive Ecosystems Mitigation of Chemical Pollution Integration with Desalination Abundant Resource Strategic Resource Independence Potential for Lower Costs Economic Diversification Sustainable Development Improved Supply Chain Resilience Technological Leadership and Innovation Environmental Benefits Economic Benefits 9

10. Impact on the Battery Industry Increased Resource Availability Reduced Market Volatility Environmental Benefits for the Battery Industry : Sustainable Sourcing,Lower Environmental Footprint, etc. Economic Advantages: Cost Reduction, Economic Diversification and Resilience Innovation and Technological Advancement: Encouraging Technological Innovation, Synergy with Other Technologies Industry Growth and Market Expansion: Boosting EVs and supporting Renewable energy Storage. Long-term Industry Sustainability: Contributing to circular economy, Gaining Global Industry Standards. Energy Efficiency and Process Improvements: Energy-Efficient Production Methods,Process Optimization Stimulating Research and Development Investment and Cross-disciplinary Innovation. Environmental Restoration and Enhancement: Potential for Environmental Restoration Projects and Promotion of Ocean Health. 10

11. Conclusion In conclusion, extracting lithium from seawater offers extensive positive impacts on the battery industry, from ensuring resource stability and reducing environmental impacts to fostering innovation, enhancing economic resilience, and meeting consumer demands for sustainability. These benefits position the battery industry for robust growth and long-term success in an increasingly resource-conscious world. 11

12. References: Chong Liu, Yanbin Li, Dingchang Lin, Po-Chun Hsu, Bofei Liu, Gangbin Yan, Tong Wu, Yi Cui, Steven Chu, Lithium Extraction from Seawater through Pulsed Electrochemical Intercalation, Joule, Volume 4, Issue 7, 2020, Pages 1459-1469, ISSN 2542-4351 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.05.017 . https://electrek.co/2021/06/04/scientists-have-cost-effectively-harvested-lithium-from-seawater/ https://cen.acs.org/materials/inorganic-chemistry/Can-seawater-give-us-lithium-to-meet-our-battery-needs/99/i36 https://www.lenntech.com/processes/lithium-recovery.htm https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/70887 12

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