Electro-membrane processes for selective lithium recovery from industrial brines: Technological advances, challenges, and opportunities

Industrial brines have become an increasingly important and underutilized source of lithium (Li + ), motivating the development of efficient and selective electrochemical recovery technologies. Electrochemical direct lithium extraction (EDLE) technologies are rapidly advancing, yet existing reviews lack a unified mechanistic perspective on the electrochemical interfaces that govern selective ion transport. This review diverges from previous studies by emphasizing the fundamental electrochemical mechanisms that govern selective ion capture across major electro-membrane technologies, including capacitive deionization (CDI) and electrodialysis (ED), as well as emerging hybrid systems such as electrochemical ion pumping and fuel-cell-inspired energy-neutral designs. We also examine key performance metrics, pilot-scale demonstrations, and systematically explore the underutilized potential of electroanalytical methods. Strategies for their holistic integration in probing electrode-electrolyte and membrane-electrolyte interfaces are proposed to establish a unified electroanalytical framework. Overall, this review advances the fundamental understanding required to design efficient, scalable, and selective electrochemical systems for Li + recovery from various industrial brines. • Addresses gaps in material-centric DLE reviews with a mechanistic framework • Comparative insights across CDI, ED, hybrid, and ion-pumping DLE platforms • Electroanalytical tools integrated to probe electrode and membrane interfaces • Benchmarking metrics and pilot-scale evidence for scalable lithium recovery • Strategies enabling selective, energy-efficient lithium extraction from complex brines