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DOE OSTI · 3001981

Development of Crown Ether-Functionalized Polymeric Sorbents for Lithium-Ion Capture

Dai, Sheng [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000280463931)·Wang, Zongyu [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)]
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Abstract

The purpose of this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was to develop and demonstrate new synthetic strategies for fabricating lithium-selective polymeric adsorbents by covalently incorporating crown ether functionalities into durable, processable support materials. These advanced sorbents are designed to selectively extract lithium ions (Li⁺) from dilute aqueous sources such as brine, seawater, industrial wastewater, and battery recycling streams.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

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Dai, Sheng [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000280463931), Wang, Zongyu [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)]. 2025-11-01. Development of Crown Ether-Functionalized Polymeric Sorbents for Lithium-Ion Capture. https://doi.org/10.2172/3001981

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The transition to a flexible and reliable energy infrastructure, using electro-thermal energy generation technologies such as geothermal, concentrated solar power, and nuclear, usually demands simultaneous advancement of thermal energy storage (TES) to support on-demand electricity generation and industrial applications while mitigating the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources and power outages from direct energy generation. Among TES technologies, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) based on calcium looping emerges as a compelling high-power energy storage candidate due to its high reaction enthalpy, compatibility with elevated operating temperatures, and abundance of low-cost materials. However, the long-term durability of calcium-based sorbents for TCES is hindered by surface sintering and particle aggregation, leading to performance degradation over repeated thermal cycles. This study explores a moisture hydration-based strategy to regenerate a degraded calcium sorbent and mitigate performance degradation for long duration TCES. The addition of moisture transforms calcium oxide into calcium hydroxide and produces intercalation water layers, associated with a regenerated surface area and reduced calcium oxide crystallite size. Both these effects are beneficial in restoring the sorbents' reactivity for carbonization. Additionally, an optimized hydration-assisted reactivation protocol balances the recovered energy storage capacity with heating penalty required for moisture removal from hydrated samples, resulting in an enhanced energy storage capacity up to 176% compared to benchmark sorbents that undergo cycling without reactivation after 60 cycles. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of hydration-assisted reactivation to enhance the long-term performance of TCES, providing an effective pathway to advancing electro-thermal storage technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗