A new technology developed at The University of Texas at Austin could make lithium extraction faster and more environmentally friendly by separating the valuable element from other dissolved substances with exceptional precision. The approach uses artificial channels so small they operate at the nanoscale, allowing lithium ions to pass through while blocking many competing ions.
Inspired by the molecular gateways found in living cells, the channels demonstrated two to five times greater lithium selectivity than other recently developed lithium transporters. Researchers report that the structures rank among the most selective lithium channels created to date, offering a potential alternative to conventional extraction methods.
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