Enhancing lithium extraction efficiency from salt lake brines through three-dimensional conductive network-incorporated thick electrodes

Constructing thick electrodes with high Li+ adsorption capacity and excellent kinetic performance effectively addresses the low efficiency of lithium extraction from salt lake brines. However, an increase in the content of active material can hinder the Li+ mass transfer within the electrode, resulting in polarization and reduced kinetic performance, which ultimately affects the extraction efficiency. This study synthesized a three-dimensional(3D) conductive network-incorporated thick electrode (∼20 mg/cm2) composed of the redox graphene oxide-loaded LFP(LFP/rGO) composite through an in situ hydrothermal method. The electrode material showed excellent kinetic performance and a high adsorption capacity for Li+ in salt lake brine. Under a constant voltage of 0.8 V in Li+ solution, the Li+ adsorption capacity reached 36.78 mg·g−1 within 10 min, exhibiting an average coulombic efficiency of over 83.53 %. Furthermore, the LFP/rGO composite thick electrode exhibited a Li+ adsorption capacity of 32.82 mg·g−1, along with an average coulombic efficiency of 74.6 %, even in the West Taijinar old brine solution. Additionally, the electrode material demonstrated remarkable cycling stability, maintaining a capacity of 172.09 mAh·g−1 after 50 cycles at a 0.2C rate in a high-concentration salt lake brine. Our preparation strategy offers novel insights for high-performance lithium extraction electrodes.