Mechanism and process optimization of lithium extraction from alkaline solutions using oxybenzone/aliquat 336

The development of advanced extraction systems is crucial for the efficient extraction of lithium and the sustainable development of the lithium supply chain. In this work, a novel mixed extraction system was constructed using oxybenzone and Aliquat 336 as raw materials, which can recover lithium with high selectivity from alkaline solutions. With this extraction system, 99% of lithium can be recovered from lithium precipitation mother liquor through the process of “two-stage countercurrent extraction - two-stage cross-current water scrubbing - stripping”, yielding a lithium-rich solution containing 13.3 g·L -1 Li + and only 0.003 g·L -1 Na + . Mechanistic studies reveal that the lithium extraction process of this system is dominated by coordination and electrostatic interaction in different stages; thermodynamic studies confirm that the extraction process is a spontaneous exothermic process. The OBZ/Aliquat 336 extraction system exhibits potential for industrial application, and this study also provides a new strategy for the design of novel extraction systems.