Facile synthesis and exfoliation of micro-sized LDH to fabricate 2D
membranes towards Mg/Li separation
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) membranes have demonstrated potential for molecular
separation; however, their applicability for Li/Mg ion separation has
been restricted by their negatively-charged and easily-swellable
properties in water. Moreover, their practical application has been
hindered by the challenge of producing significant quantities of
single-layer nanosheets. To overcome these challenges, we have developed
a scalable method for synthesizing micro-sized nitrate ZnAl layered
double hydroxide (LDH) and subsequent exfoliating to yield monolayer
nanosheets for the construction of 2D membranes. The sub-nanometer
channels of the LDH membrane is positively charged, which prevents the
passage of magnesium ions. These channels also impede the flow of
magnesium ions that are more difficult to dehydrate. As a result, the
LDH membranes exhibit robust lithium-magnesium separation ability, with
a separation ratio of 6 (Li/Mg). This work provides a method for
producing high-quality LDH nanosheets and validates the enormous
potential of LDH membranes in the field of lithium-magnesium separation.