A Strategy for Incorporating a Chemical Lithium Receptor into a Polymer Nanofiber Membrane
발표자
윤현승 (전남대학교)
연구책임자
윤현석 (전남대학교)
초록
내용
The rising demand for lithium-ion batteries necessitates selective lithium recovery from aqueous sources such as seawater, geothermal brine, and spent electrolytes. Herein, we report an electrospun nanofiber membrane comprising 12-crown-4 (a Li+-selective ligand) and graphene nanosheets embedded in a polyethersulfone matrix. Graphene enabled homogeneous dispersion and immobilization of the ligand, while improving membrane stability, porosity, and hydrophilicity. DFT calculations confirmed the higher binding affinity of 12-crown-4 for Li+ over Na+ and K+. Noncovalent interactions between graphene and the ligand suppressed leaching. In a flow system, the membrane achieved a maximum Li+ adsorption capacity of 86.3 mg g−1 and retained over 93% performance after 10 regeneration cycles. This work demonstrates a scalable, regenerable membrane for lithium-selective separation based on molecular recognition and nanostructural design.