Revolutionary Eco-Friendly Lithium Technology Set to Transform Electric Vehicle Batteries

Researchers Create Eco-Friendly Lithium Extraction Method for Electric Vehicles

WASHINGTON (January 22, 2025) – A team from The George Washington University, alongside other partners, has discovered a new way to extract and purify lithium from geothermal brines. This lithium can be used in the batteries of electric vehicles. Finding alternative sources of lithium is vital for moving toward clean energy and reducing reliance on foreign resources.

This innovative method skips harmful chemicals often used in traditional extraction. Instead, it employs a special material that targets lithium ions in the brine. Once captured, the lithium is transformed into lithium chloride and then into lithium hydroxide, which is perfect for electric vehicle batteries. Economically, this approach has been shown to produce battery-grade lithium at a competitive price.

Currently, traditional lithium sources, like hard-rock mining and salt flats, won’t be enough for our future demands. This research proposes a greener way to use geothermal brines, especially from places like California’s Salton Sea.

Next, this eco-friendly technology is set for large-scale testing in the coming years.

The findings are detailed in the study, “Electro-driven direct lithium extraction from geothermal brines to generate battery-grade lithium hydroxide,” published in Nature Communications.

Lead researcher Xitong Liu, a professor at The George Washington University, is eager to share insights from this study.

Stay tuned for more updates on battery news and innovations!

Source: Researchers Develop Eco-Friendly Lithium Technology Used For Electric Vehicle Batteries