NSERC-DFG SUSTAIN: Prussian White for Sustainable Separation and Purification Technologies

在锂离子电池中存储1 TWh的能量需要约10万吨锂。锂矿每天可消耗多达50，000升的水，目前一半以上的锂生产位于水资源高度紧张的地区。与电池生产规模扩大（2031年为2-6 TWh/年）相关的资源限制需要替代锂提取方法。与此同时，世界许多地区已经普遍存在淡水短缺的问题。在达尔豪西大学（哈利法克斯）和卡尔斯鲁厄理工学院（KIT）之间的这个跨学科和国际项目提案“desa-LiNa-te”中，首要目标是通过电化学方法开发新颖的、具有成本效益和能源效益的分离和纯化技术，用于从盐水或海水中分离锂或钠离子。目前在材料寿命、选择性和可扩展性方面的瓶颈将通过围绕普鲁士白色材料类别构建一个平台来解决，该平台将针对锂提取和脱盐工艺进行定制。我们的材料开发方法的基础是一个计算框架，推动理解阳离子插入选择性和高盐度水介质中降解过程的起源。为了进一步确定与工艺有关的障碍物，将通过本体和表面敏感分析技术详细研究材料的劣化和抑制。这些知识将用于开发保护机制和再生程序，以确保长循环寿命和高能效。碱金属的脱盐和提取可以通过使用“串联”（可在DAL获得）或“双离子”（可在KIT获得）方法在不同的电解槽设置中进行。在“desa-LiNa-te”框架内，这两项技术将由合作伙伴共同推进。其目标是使新型脱盐电池能够超过最先进的反渗透脱盐的能源效率（约4 kWh/m3淡水），这将代表淡水生产技术的一步变化。同样，该计划开发的电化学锂提取工艺的目标是锂提取选择性> 98%，并生产高度富锂的盐水溶液，同时减少淡水消耗和提取时间。探索这项技术用于地热盐水，回收废水沃茨或海水淡化的盐水废弃物，为电池行业的指数增长提供了新的途径。附加值来自于新型多功能普鲁士白色插入材料的开发，这将推动加拿大和欧洲的电池供应链战略计划。该项目将为电池工艺技术方面的高素质人员提供独特的培训经验，例如，材料合成和电极涂层。

Storing 1 TWh of energy in lithium-ion batteries requires ~100,000 tons of lithium. Lithium mines can consume up to 50,000 liters of water a day and more than half of today's lithium production is in areas with high water stress. The resource limitations associated with the scale-up of battery production (2-6 TWh/year in 2031) require alternative extraction methods for lithium. At the same time, freshwater scarcity is already prevalent in many world regions. In this interdisciplinary and international project proposal "desa-LiNa-te" between Dalhousie University (Halifax) and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the overarching goal is to develop novel, cost effective and energy efficient separation and purification technologies for Li- or Na-ions from brine or sea water by means of electrochemical methods. Current bottlenecks with respect to material longevity, selectivity and scalability will be addressed by building a platform around the material class of Prussian White that will be tailored to Li-extraction and desalination processes. The basis of our material development approach is a computational framework that drives understanding of cation insertion selectivities and origins of degradation processes in aqueous media with high salinity. To further identify process-related roadblocks material deterioration and inhibition will be studied in detail by bulk and surface-sensitive analytical techniques. This knowledge will be leveraged to develop protection mechanisms and regeneration procedures to ensure long cycle life and high energy efficiency. The desalination and extraction of alkali metals can be conducted in different cell setups by either using a "tandem" (available at DAL) or a "dual-ion" (available at KIT) approach. Within the framework of "desa-LiNa-te" both technologies will be advanced jointly by the partners. The objective is to enable novel desalination cells that surpass the energy efficiency of state-of-the-art reverse osmosis desalination (~4 kWh/m3 freshwater), which would represent a step change in freshwater generation technology. Similarly, the electrochemical lithium extraction processes developed in this program target Li extraction selectivity of >98 % and production of highly Li-enriched brine solutions, while reducing freshwater consumption and extraction times. Exploring this technology for geothermal brines, recycling waste waters or brine reject from desalination opens new avenues to supply the exponentially growing battery industry with ethically mined lithium. Added value comes from the development of novel highly versatile Prussian White insertion materials, which will advance Canada's and Europe’s strategic initiative for battery supply chains. This project will provide a unique training experience for highly qualified personnel in battery process technology, e.g., materials synthesis and electrode coating.