Lithium Recovery from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption using MCM-41 Functionalized by TBP

A mesoporous material of type MCM 41 was obtained by the in-situ formation of a hybrid organic-inorganic silicic lattice. The resulting material was characterized by physico-chemical methods: N2 sorption, XRD and FTIR. In order to improve the extraction capacity of this material with respect to lithium, the material was functionalized   with tributyl phosphate (TBP). The structural and textural properties of the material were maintained after functionalization. Lithium extraction tests in the presence or absence of a co-extractor (FeCL₃), by the different solids (MCM-Not Calcined, MCM-Calcined and MCM-CI-TBP) have been carried out by varying the contact time, and the initial concentration. The obtained results are encouraging.