Granular Titanium Lithium Ion Sieve with Porous High-Capacity Adsorption

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lithium ion sieve adsorbents in powder form face challenges with separation and filtration, leading to high solution loss and reduced adsorption capacity when molded, necessitating a method to enhance particle size and specific surface area while maintaining high adsorption efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A preparation method for a hydrophilic granular titanium-based lithium ion sieve adsorbent using slurry granulation and water bath solidification or vacuum drying, involving steps like mixing titanium dioxide with lithium sources, adding pore-forming agents, and calcining to create precursor powder, followed by pretreatment, adhesive preparation, doping, and elution to achieve high porosity and strength, enabling efficient lithium adsorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If lithium ion sieve is molded and granulated to improve separation and reduce solution loss, then filterability and scrubbing efficiency are improved, but specific surface area is reduced resulting in significant decline in adsorption capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesolution lossVSAvoidspecific surface area

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a porous organic polymer coating layer on the surface of the granular adsorbent, creating a porous structure that increases specific surface area while maintaining granular morphology. This porous coating provides additional adsorption sites and prevents the loss of solution during filtration and scrubbing operations, thus resolving the contradiction between reduced solution loss and maintained specific surface area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Loss of substance

If lithium ion sieve is molded and granulated to improve separation and reduce solution loss, then filterability and scrubbing efficiency are improved, but adsorption capacity declines to only 20%-30% of original powder

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesolution lossVSAvoidadsorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite structure by coating granular inorganic lithium ion sieve material with a porous organic polymer layer. This composite structure combines the advantages of both materials: the inorganic core provides structural stability and selectivity, while the organic porous coating increases surface area and adsorption capacity. The composite design ensures that granulated adsorbent maintains high adsorption capacity (over 80% of powder form) while achieving good filterability and reduced solution loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of operation

If granular adsorbent is prepared to improve particle size and specific surface area, then separation is improved, but adsorption capacity significantly declines

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveseparationVSAvoidadsorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality modification by coating only the surface of granular adsorbent particles with porous organic polymer material. This surface modification increases the specific surface area and adsorption capacity at the particle level without changing the overall granular size and shape. The localized coating approach maintains the ease of separation associated with granular form while restoring adsorption capacity through enhanced surface properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method results in a granular adsorbent with high porosity, fast adsorption-desorption rate, low solution loss, and long cycle life, suitable for lithium extraction from salt lake brine with high selectivity and industrial scalability.

Implementation Method 1

selectively identify and adsorb lithium ions in salt lake brine, lithium precipitation mother liquor, high-impurity lithium-containing solution, lithium battery recovery solution and other lithium-containing solutions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectIon exchange: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 2

The molding method adopts slurry granulation to solidify in water bath, or slurry granulation to dry in vacuum atmosphere

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolidification: Freezing

Implementation Method 3

The molding method adopts slurry granulation to solidify in water bath, or slurry granulation to dry in vacuum atmosphere

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDrying: Desiccation

Data Source

PatentUS20250262609A1Preparation method for high-adsorption-capacity granular titanium-based lithium ion sieve adsorbent

Publication Date: 2025.08.21 CHENGDU CHEMPHYS CHEM IND

AI summary

A preparation method for a high-adsorption-capacity granular titanium-based lithium ion sieve adsorbent includes the following steps: step 1, preparing titanium-based lithium ion sieve precursor powder; step 2, preparing high-adsorption-capacity granular titanium-based lithium ion sieve adsorbent, which includes: 1) pretreatment of precursor powder; 2) preparing a composite adhesive; 3) doping, blending and homogenizing; 4) molding and granulating; and 5) eluting and replacing. The granular adsorbent has relatively high porosity, shows good suspension property when being used for extracting lithium from salt lake brine or simulated brine, and is high in adsorption-desorption rate and high in lithium extraction activity; the lithium ion selectivity and the elution rate can reach 95% or above.