TechnologyOctober 29, 2026

A new bio-inspired membrane can make lithium extraction cleaner.

Nico DeMattia

The demand for lithium in electric vehicle batteries is not expected to decline in the near future. Modern batteries require it, and obtaining it is not exactly simple. Lithium extraction can be a complex, lengthy, and environmentally harmful process. That is why the new technological breakthrough developed by the University of Texas at Austin could be very important. It involves a new extraction method that uses a newly designed, biology-inspired filter to separate lithium more quickly, more easily, and with fewer harmful byproducts.

"Lithium is in our phones, our cars, and the power grid, but extracting it from the ground cleanly remains a difficult challenge," said Manish Kumar, professor at the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, in a statement. "Our goal is a faster, cleaner, and more manageable process."

Currently, the main sources of lithium are three: hard rocks, brine, and recycled old batteries. The issue is that lithium is never found alone—it mixes with and dissolves in other materials. This means that even after extracting the rock or evaporating the brine, it is still necessary to separate lithium from other substances. And that’s where the new filter comes in.

Lithium for batteries, where it is found and how it is extracted

A lithium mine

The University of Texas at Austin has developed nanoscale artificial channels inspired by the natural mechanisms by which ions enter and exit living cells. These artificial channels are integrated into a newly designed membrane that allows lithium ions to pass through while filtering out everything else, without relying on chemicals or hazardous solvents.

"We now have a kind of toolbox at our disposal, not just an isolated result," explained Harekrushna Behera, a researcher in Kumar’s lab. "By understanding how ions interact with chemical groups at the entrance of the channel, we can work on designing channels that are more selective for lithium and, potentially, other critical minerals."

Further experiments will be needed to determine whether this technology can work on an industrial scale. However, the initial results seem promising. Any new solution that can improve and make lithium extraction cleaner can help make electric vehicle batteries more sustainable.