Towards Continuous Flow Microfluidics for Selective Lithium Recovery

Abstract

Saline brines are a critical source of lithium for the renewable energy transition. Unfortunately, conventional methods of lithium recovery, based on open-air evaporation ponds, are land and water intensive, limited geographically by climate, and suffer from significant production time lags. Consequently, novel methods of lithium recovery are necessary. In this thesis, I expand on recent research in the Water and Energy Technologies Lab and Complex Fluids Group at Princeton University to develop a continuous flow microfluidic device to study the concentration and selective separation of lithium from other aqueous salts. This work has the potential to facilitate the development of improved evaporators that can enhance the speed and purity of lithium recovery, or the recovery of other dissolved minerals, from saline brines.