💥 Using plasma tech, Korean researchers triple lithium extraction rates

Curious about how plasma tech and lithium supply could go hand in hand for our future cars and renewable energy storage? Well, here's some interesting news from the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE). They've managed to boost lithium extraction efficiency by three times compared to regular methods, thanks to the application of carbon dioxide microwave plasma technology.

As the demand for lithium continues to surge, fueled in part by the EV boom and transition towards sustainable energy solutions, this approach holds great promise in meeting the evolving needs of a greener future, according to the KFE team. Find out more about their method by checking out today’s Must Read.

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Korean researchers have harnessed the power of carbon dioxide to substantially improve lithium extraction rates. The team reported promising results, with direct injections of carbon dioxide gas resulting in a modest 10.3 percent extraction rate. But even better was when they injected carbon dioxide plasma, which significantly boosted the rate to an impressive 27.87 percent.

Since both approaches surpassed traditional methods of lithium extraction, the team’s results showcase the significant role of plasma technology in making better use of resources.

In a new study, scientists devised a method to capture carbon dioxide using none other than Earth’s very own heat — geothermal energy. Combining direct air carbon dioxide capture technologies (DACC) with geothermal power, the research indicates the feasibility of energizing large-scale systems to efficiently extract and store carbon dioxide underground.

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