Electrospun Lithium\nPorous Nanosorbent Fibers for\nEnhanced Lithium Adsorption and Sustainable Applications

Electrospun nanosorbent fibers specifically designed\nfor efficient\nlithium extraction were developed, exhibiting superior physicochemical\nproperties. These fibers were fabricated using a polyacrylonitrile/dimethylformamide\nmatrix, with viscosity and dynamic mechanical analysis showing that\noptimal interactions were achieved at lower contents of layered double\nhydroxide. This meticulous adjustment in formulation led to the creation\nof lithium porous nanosorbent fibers (Li-PNFs-1). Li-PNFs-1 exhibited\noutstanding mechanical attributes, including a yield stress of 0.09\nMPa, a tensile strength of 2.48 MPa, and an elongation at a break\nof 19.7%. Additionally, they demonstrated pronounced hydrophilicity\nand hierarchical porous architecture, which greatly favor rapid wetting\nkinetics and lithium adsorption. Morphologically, they exhibited uniform\nsmoothness with a diameter averaging 546 nm, indicative of orderly\ncrystalline growth and a dense molecular arrangement. X-ray photoelectron\nspectroscopy and density functional theory using Cambridge Serial\nTotal Energy Package revealed modifications in the spatial and electronic\nconfigurations of polyacrylonitrile due to hydrogen bonding, facilitating\nlithium adsorption capacity up to 13.45 mg/g under optimal conditions.\nBesides, kinetics and isotherm showed rapid equilibrium within 60\nmin and confirmed the chemical and selective nature of Li<sup>+</sup> uptake. These fibers demonstrated consistent adsorption performance\nacross multiple cycles, highlighting their potential for sustainable\nuse in industrial applications.