Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers 한국자원공학회지 ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online)

Ion-exchange type manganese oxide adsorbents for the selective adsorption of Li from seawater were prepared and their properties examined. LiMe0.5Mn1.5O4(Me=Mg, Zn) precursors in which part of Mn was substituted by Mg or Zn were synthesized by the solid-state reaction. The adsorbents, HMg0.5Mn1.5O4 and HZn0.5Mn1.5O4, were fabricated by acid treatment. The optimum acid treatment was obtained at hydrochroic acid concentration of 0.5M and 0.3M for LiMg0.5Mn1.5O4 and LiZn0.5Mn1.5O4 precursors, respectively. The optimum number of acid treatments were 3 times in both cases. The adsorption of Li by HMg0.5Mn1.5O4 and HZn0.5Mn1.5O4 adsorbents followed the Freundlich equation and the maximum adsorption of Li in artificial seawater was 30.3 mg/g and 33.1 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption efficiency of Li by HMg0.5Mn1.5O4 and HZn0.5Mn1.5O4 adsorbents in artificial seawater which Li concentration was adjusted to 0.2 mg/L was high as 88% and 89%.