Highly efficient ion extraction with phosphorylated micro-sized hydrogels
발표자
장영빈 (포항공과대학교)
연구책임자
오승수 (POSTECH)
초록
내용
The urgent need for battery material recycling stems from rising energy demands and stricter environmental regulations. Recovering metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel is vital for economic and environmental sustainability. Liquid–Liquid Extraction (LLE), a traditional method for ion recovery, uses a two-phase system with water and an organic solvent, but requires toxic solvents and complex separation, limiting scalability and raising environmental concerns. To overcome these challenges, we propose a polyacrylamide-based microgel that extracts metal ions only in water without the necessity of organic solvents. By incorporating excess phosphate groups, the micro-sized hydrogel can capture metal ions within its structure, achieving a recovery rate greater than 95 % after extraction. This approach maintains high efficiency, simplifies operation, and enables selective metal recovery. Our findings present a potential scalable, environmentally sustainable solution for battery recycling.