Efficient lithium recovery from simulated brine using a hybrid system: Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX)

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) brine is a readily available resource hub in many countries, fulfilling the country's freshwater need by SWRO, yet lower in a concentration of high-demand elements like Li. This study outlines developing a novel hybrid system that combines direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) and electrically switched ion exchange (ESIX) to facilitate simultaneous SWRO brine enrichment followed by selective Li recovery. The DCMD process concentrates the SWRO brine utilizing electrospun nanofiber membranes (ENMs) composed of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Incorporating reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticles augments the morphological, thermal, and mechanical stability of the PVDF ENMs. The water contact angle (WCA) of the 1-rGO/PVDF ENM stands at 142.08°, a testament to an enhanced hydrophobic property which resulted in a 12 % freshwater recovery from simulated SWRO brine and a 2.4-fold increase in Li⁺ concentration. The durability of the 1-rGO/PVDF ENM is evident in its minimal 11 % reduction in WCA after 15 h of brine concentration. In the context of hybrid operation, a Li-selective LiAlO₂ electrode, coupled with an activated carbon counter electrode, demonstrated remarkable Li recovery for Li capture solutions enriched by the rGO-PVDF membrane in the DCMD phase. Compared to the Li concentration in the DCMD feed, sequential Li capture and release cycles recovered 91.8 % of Li, thereby underlining the critical role of the hybrid mode operation in concentrating Li from simulated brine solutions.