Ion-exchange properties of LiZr
2 (PO
4)
3, which is one of the good Li ion conductors, were studied and it was found that metal ion substitution for Zr ions brought about marked influence on the ion-exchange properties of LiZr
2 (PO
4)
3.
Li
1+xM
xZr
2-x (PO
4)
3 (L-MZP)[M: Fe, Cr, Al, Y, 0≤x≤2]compounds were prepared by conventional solid state reactions, heating a stoichiometric mixture of Li
2CO
3, ZrO (NO
3)
2·2H
2O, H
3PO
4, and a metal oxide at 1,000°C. The ion-exchange experiments of L-MZP or H-MZP were carried out by a batch method. A known quantity of L-MZP was suspended in 1M HNO
3 solution and stirred at room temperature for appropriate period. After the ion-exchange reaction, H-MZP was separated by a membrane filter and dried at 90°C in air over night. Experiments of Li
+ recovery were carried out using a 0.15g of H-MZP in buffer solution, containing 5mM of Li
+ and/or Na
+. The concentration of alkaline metals in the filtrate was determined by atomic adsorption spectro-photometry.
H-CrZP and H-FeZP (A=H and M=Cr or Fe) showed high Li
+ selectivity in the Li
+ recovery experiments using a NH
4Cl-NH
4OH buffer solution. In addition, the structures of H-CrZP were extremely stable in an acidic soiution, in the region of 0≤x≤2. H
2.5Cr
1.5Zr
0.5 (PO
4)
3 showed the highest selectivity to Li
+, It collected Li
+ efficiently from a buffer solution containing Na
+ and Li
+; separation factor, α
LiNa, reached 2,000. H
2.5Cr
1.5Zr
0.5 (PO
4)
3 showed maximum Li
+ recovery at pH8 which is the same as that of sea water. This material showed extremely high Li
+ condense factor,
Kd=7,500, in the experiment using Oita sea water. Moreover, 14.5mg of Li were actually collected from a water of Yamaga hot spring.
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