Selective lithium recovery via ion-imprinted materials

<h2>Summary</h2> Securing sustainable and resilient lithium (Li) supply chains is increasingly important for the global shift toward electrified transport and renewable energy storage. Conventional Li extraction from brines and the recycling of spent Li-ion batteries are often limited by slow evaporation processes, poor selectivity, and significant chemical consumption. Ion-imprinted materials (IIMs) offer a promising alternative by incorporating Li⁺-specific binding sites that preferentially recognize Li over competing ions such as Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and Ca²⁺. This review examines recent progress in ion-imprinted polymers, carbon-based materials, and hybrid inorganic-polymer systems, with attention to imprinting strategies, coordination chemistry, and structural design features that influence adsorption capacity, kinetics, and stability. We compare reported performance across brines, seawater, geothermal fluids, and battery leachates and discuss structure-performance relationships under realistic conditions. Finally, we outline key challenges in durability, scale-up, and process integration that must be addressed for practical deployment.