Efficient cation separation based on humidity control and adsorption

Precise ion sieving techniques are of great importance in various fields including the energy and environment. However, existing extraction methods, often associated with environmental risks, are lack of selectivity, time-consuming, and high cost. Here, we report a high-capacity sorbent made of polyacrylonitrile-chitosan composite spheres, capable of selectively adsorbing alkali or alkaline earth metal salts through controlled humidity levels, leveraging their distinct deliquescent humidity ranges. For lithium extraction specifically, this method demonstrates an extremely high adsorption capacity of 133.60 mg g<sup>-1</sup>, far above all existing adsorbents and sieves. Moreover, a rapid adsorption rate of 83.64 mg g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> is achieved, with a high selectivity and a recovery rate. Crucially, this approach is heralded for its environmental friendliness, cost-efficiency, and low energy consumption.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-11-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65607-0
Primary Topic
Extraction and Separation Processes
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Efficient cation separation based on humidity control and adsorption

Ning Xue, J. K. Liang, Yunqing Yang, Chuxin Wu et al.
Nature Communications
Extraction and Separation Processes
article

Efficient cation separation based on humidity control and adsorption

Ning Xue, J. K. Liang, Yunqing Yang, Chuxin Wu, Xiangchen Hu, Jiameng Yu, Yi Yu, Xinshui Zhang, Ran Wei, Wei Liu, Yining Zhang, Changming Li, Jiahao Feng, Xin Chen, Yihang Yang, Tianyi Gao, Yue Zhang
article en

Abstract

Precise ion sieving techniques are of great importance in various fields including the energy and environment. However, existing extraction methods, often associated with environmental risks, are lack of selectivity, time-consuming, and high cost. Here, we report a high-capacity sorbent made of polyacrylonitrile-chitosan composite spheres, capable of selectively adsorbing alkali or alkaline earth metal salts through controlled humidity levels, leveraging their distinct deliquescent humidity ranges. For lithium extraction specifically, this method demonstrates an extremely high adsorption capacity of 133.60 mg g<sup>-1</sup>, far above all existing adsorbents and sieves. Moreover, a rapid adsorption rate of 83.64 mg g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> is achieved, with a high selectivity and a recovery rate. Crucially, this approach is heralded for its environmental friendliness, cost-efficiency, and low energy consumption.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
ShanghaiTech University (CN)
Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Tsinghua University, ShanghaiTech University
Openalex Percentile: Top 62%
Extraction and Separation Processes
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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