Lithium-based draw solute for forward osmosis to treat wastewater discharged from lithium-ion battery manufacturing

doi:10.1007/s11705-022-2137-3

Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.

2022, Vol. 16

Issue (5) : 755-763 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-022-2137-3

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Lithium-based draw solute for forward osmosis to treat wastewater discharged from lithium-ion battery manufacturing

Rongzhen Chen, Xinfei Dong, Qingchun Ge(

)

College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China

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Abstract

As draw solute is the core element of forward osmosis (FO) technology, here Li-Bet-Tf₂N synthesized from a customized ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Hbet][Tf₂N]) and Li₂CO₃ recovered from lithium-ion battery (LIB) wastes is proposed as a novel draw solute to treat Li⁺-containing wastewater from LIB manufacturing through FO filtration. Having high dissociation ability and an extended structure, Li-Bet-Tf₂N generates a sufficiently high osmotic pressure to drive the FO filtration efficiently along with insignificant reverse solute diffusion. Li-Bet-Tf₂N produces a water flux of 21.3 L·(m²·h)⁻¹ at 1.0 mol∙L^–1 against deionized water, surpassing conventional NaCl and MgCl₂ draw solutes with a higher water recovery efficiency and a smaller solute loss. Li-Bet-Tf₂N induces a more stable and higher water permeation flux with a 10.0% water flux decline than NaCl and MgCl₂ for which the water fluxes decline 16.7% and 16.4%, respectively, during the treatment of 2000 mg∙L^–1 Li⁺-containing wastewater for 12 h. More remarkably, unlike other draw solutes which require intensive energy input and complicated processes in recycling, Li-Bet-Tf₂N is easily separated from water via solvent extraction. Reproducible results are achieved with the recycled Li-Bet-Tf₂N. Li-Bet-Tf₂N thus demonstrates a novel class of draw solute with great potentials to treat wastewater economically.

Keywords forward osmosis lithium-ion battery draw solution lithium-containing wastewater water treatment

Corresponding Author(s): Qingchun Ge

Online First Date: 09 March 2022 Issue Date: 28 March 2022

Cite this article:

Rongzhen Chen,Xinfei Dong,Qingchun Ge. Lithium-based draw solute for forward osmosis to treat wastewater discharged from lithium-ion battery manufacturing[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2022, 16(5): 755-763.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-022-2137-3
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2022/V16/I5/755

Fig.1 (a) Synthesis scheme of Li-Bet-Tf₂N; (b) FTIR spectra of betaine and Li-Bet-Tf₂N; (c) ¹H NMR spectra of betaine and Li-Bet-Tf₂N.

Fig.2 (a) The osmotic pressure of Li-Bet-Tf₂N, NaCl and MgCl₂; (b) the relative viscosity of Li-Bet-Tf₂N, NaCl and MgCl₂ at 25 °C.

Tab.1 A comparison in osmotic pressure and relative viscosity between Li-Bet-Tf₂N and other reported draw solutes at 25 °C

Fig.3 FO performance comparison between Li-Bet-Tf₂N and the conventional draw solutes at room temperature: (a) under the PRO mode; (b) under the FO mode; (c) the polymeric network of Li-Bet-Tf₂N in water; (d) size distribution of the Li-Bet-Tf₂N polymeric network and FO membrane.

Tab.2 FO performance comparison between Li-Bet-Tf₂N and other draw solutes at the best concentration

Fig.4 FO short-term (30 min) performance at room temperature with 0–2000 mg?L^–1 Li₂SO₄ as feed solutions and 1.0 mol?L^–1 NaCl, MgCl₂ and Li-Bet-Tf₂N as draw solution, in Li⁺ removal: (a) under the PRO mode; (b) under the FO mode; (c) the change of water flux in FO long-term (12 h) experiments under the FO mode at room temperature with 2000 mg?L^–1 Li₂SO₄ as feed solutions and 1.0 mol?L^–1 NaCl, MgCl₂ and Li-Bet-Tf₂N as draw solution.

Fig.5 Recycling of Li-Bet-Tf₂N via solvent extraction: (a) the aqueous solution of Li-Bet-Tf₂N; (b) Li-Bet-Tf₂N in the mixed solvents (water in the upper layer while Li-Bet-Tf₂N and [Hbet][Tf₂N] in the lower layer); (c) LiCl in the upper aqueous layer, while [Hbet][Tf₂N] in the lower layer is easily recycled.

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