Highly Selective Li+ Ion Transport by Porous Molybdenum-Oxide Keplerate-Type Nanocapsules Integrated in a Supported Liquid Membrane

Porous Keplerate-type molybdenum-oxide nanocapsules - encapsulated into cationic surfactants act as transporting systems for alkali cations through supported liquid membranes. The transport is based on the ability of the nanocapsules containing water molecules inside their cavities to attract and release the cations. This results in specific nanoscaled translocation pathways, based on corresponding dynamic diffusional domains within the liquid bulk membrane phase, due to the self-assembly of the capsules. Li+ cations are preferentially extracted and transported, thus allowing separation from Na+ and K+ cations, which are not transported to the receiving phase.