SBIR Phase I: Assessing and Improving Membrane Stability to Enable Sustainable Lithium Chemical Production

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the development of a novel electrochemical process to extract and convert lithium from low-concentration brine into battery-grade lithium chemicals, a key ingredient in electric vehicle and grid storage batteries. This innovation has the potential to dramatically expand the usable lithium resource base in the United States by enabling access to brines previously deemed too dilute to be economically viable. The proposed technology operates with minimal land and water use and avoids environmentally damaging practices associated with conventional lithium mining and evaporation ponds. By directly producing battery grade lithium chemicals in a single step, the process could significantly reduce energy consumption and cost while supporting the national goal of onshoring battery material supply chains. The first commercial application is expected in partnership with junior resource holders, addressing the growing demand from battery manufacturers. The technology offers a durable competitive advantage through its ability to operate on low-grade brines, paired with a modular design that supports flexible deployment. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to evaluate the stability and selectivity of anion exchange membranes in a novel electrochemical cell that simultaneously extracts lithium ions from brine and converts them to battery grade lithium chemicals. Unlike conventional direct lithium extraction systems that produce lithium chloride, this project investigates a single-step method for producing lithium carbonate and hydroxide, eliminating the need for downstream conversion processes. The key technical challenge is maintaining high anion permselectivity and product purity under high-salinity and extreme pH conditions. The research objectives include systematically studying the effects of chemical aging, brine fouling, and long-term electrochemical cycling on membrane performance. Experimental work will involve operating electrochemical cells with various commercial membranes exposed to real brines, followed by chemical analysis of transport properties using ion chromatography and spectroscopy. Post-mortem analysis will include scanning electron microscopy and elemental mapping to evaluate degradation or fouling. The anticipated results will inform the selection of membrane materials and operating conditions that ensure greater than 99.5 percent lithium chemical purity over extended use. These findings are expected to de-risk a critical component of the overall lithium extraction system, enabling future pilot-scale deployment in partnership with domestic brine resource owners. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.