Spinel-type manganese oxide Li1.6Mn1.6O4 was prepared. It was mixed with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and flat membrane was obtained for recovering lithium from lithium-containing waters by a solvent exchange method. After the membrane was treated with an HCl solution it can uptake lithium. A series of experiments for examining its adsorption and reuse were carried out. Results showed that when membrane M-10-55[Li] was treated with 0.5 mol·L-1 HCl solution for 2 h
the lithium extraction reached equilibrium and about 95% lithium was extracted
and the rate of manganese dissolution was about 3.5%. The membrane M-10-55[H] obtained showed good performance in adsorption capacity to Li+ (about 41 mg·g-1)
and when used for the fifth time it still had an adsorption capacity of 35 mg·g-1. The membrane can selectively adsorb Li+ better compared with Na+
K+
Mg2+ and Ca2+. It is potential to be used in enrichment and recovery of lithium from seawater and other liquid lithium sources.