Investigating lithium salt membrane crystallization: a molecular dynamics approach

Our work focuses on exploring the efficacy of membrane crystallization processes involving various lithium salts, aiming to establish a viable method for lithium recovery from exhausted Li-based batteries. The process centers around using hydrophobic polymeric membranes, such as polypropylene (PP) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), which serve as selective barriers for water vapor while retaining lithium salts. This selective transport mechanism plays a critical role in the crystallization process of lithium salts, a key factor for the development of an efficient industrial recycling process for lithium batteries.