Lithium Extraction from Aqueous Solution using Di-(2-ethyl hexyl) Phosphoric Acid Solvent Modified with Vegetable Oils

Document Type : Research paper

Authors

1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar,, Iran

2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar

Abstract

Objective: The recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is important from two perspective views: one of them is for environmental management to make proper use of e-waste and the other one is for the recovery of rare metals such as lithium due to its potential economic benefits. This resource can be useful as a secondary source for these rare and valuable metals.
Materials and methods: In this study, Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) solvent along with vegetable oils as modifiers is used for liquid-liquid extraction of Li-ion in a T-shaped micro-channel. In this study, D2EHPA solvent along with sunflower, sesame, and olive oils are considered as the continuous (organic) phase, and lithium chloride solution is considered as the dispersed phase. After preparing the continuous and dispersed phases, the fluids were injected into the microchannel by the respective pumps. The microchannel was placed under a microscope equipped with a high-speed camera to record the relevant images and perform slug analysis. After the experiment was completed, the fluids of both the continuous and dispersed phases were collected and after a while, the two phases were separated. Then, the dispersed phase solution was analyzed. The effect of operating conditions (used solvent volume and organic phase flow rate) is investigated on the slug formation time, slug length, and extraction percentage.
Results: Results show that the slug length increases with increasing the used solvent and decreasing the organic phase flow rate. The extraction percentage increases with increasing the used solvent. The effect of modifier type is also considered and found the sunflower modifier is better extraction percentage than other oils, in result, in an optimum condition (with 3ml of used solvent volume), the extraction percentage reaches to 82 percent.
Conclusions: Using the D2EHPA solvent along with Vegetable oils can improve the extraction percentage.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Separation Science and Engineering
Volume 17, Issue 2
December 2025
Pages 1-16

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