Lithium in a Sustainable Circular Economy: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Lithium is a vital raw material used for a wide range of applications, such as the fabrication of glass, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, and batteries for electric cars. The accelerating electrification transition and the global commitment to decarbonization have caused an increasing demand for lithium. The current supply derived from brines and hard rock ores is not enough to meet the global demand unless alternate resources and efficient techniques to recover this valuable metal are implemented. In the past few decades, several approaches have been studied to extract lithium from aqueous resources. Among those studied, chemical precipitation is considered the most efficient technology for the extraction of metals from wastewater. This paper outlines the current technology, its challenges, and its environmental impacts. Moreover, it reviews alternative approaches to recover lithium via chemical precipitation, and systematically studies the effects of different operating conditions on the lithium precipitation rate. In addition, the biggest challenges of the most recent studies are discussed, along with implications for future innovation.

Synergistic theoretical and experimental study on the ion dynamics of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide-based alkali metal salts for solid polymer electrolytes

“…The current market leader for energy storage systems, the lithium-ion battery (LIB), shows a high potential towards mitigating energy fluctuations from renewable energy sources within the grid. 2 Considering the rapid expansion of the energy storage market in addition to the rising cost and scarcity of lithium, 3,4 the need for developing alternative battery technologies to LIBs, is essential. Furthermore, demand for higher energy density, increased sustainability, abundant and economically viable energy storage systems have led to a surge in the exploration for alternative battery technologies beyond LIBs in recent years.…”

Research Progress of New Generation of Aluminum–Lithium Alloys Alloying

“…Existing challenges and future development trends include exploring different levels of lithium content and reducing the alloy's anisotropy to determine the optimal performance range for different application scenarios. [86][87][88][89][90] This involves optimizing the percentage of lithium in the alloy to ensure excellent performance under varying conditions. In future developments, optimization of alloy composition can achieve lightweighting, enhance strength, improve corrosion resistance, enhance electrical conductivity, and increase thermal stability to meet lightweighting requirements.…”

Reuse of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Batteries from a Life Cycle Assessment Perspective: The Second-Life Case Study

“…The total weight of the battery is approximately 610 kg (for a capacity of 110 kWh), of which a significant portion is represented by raw materials (Table S1) that, according to the latest update and summary carried out in March 2023 by the European Union [30] are considered critical: Lithium, Graphite, Copper, Bauxite (for aluminum production), Phosphate Rocks (for phosphate synthesis), and Coal Coke (for steel production). Regarding lithium, although it mainly comes from the 'Lithium Triangle' (Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia) (70% of global reserves) and Australia [31], China possesses most of the world's refining capacity and is also the first importer and consumer of lithium worldwide, as well as a large producer of lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, mostly from ore concentrates (spodumene), imported from Australia [32][33][34]. Therefore, it was assumed that China sources from Australia.…”