*New publication from EMSR* In this work, we highlight inorganic solid-state electrolytes (ISSEs), originally engineered for all-solid-state batteries, as highly selective, energy-efficient membranes for extracting lithium from seawater and brines, addressing rising demand and the vast but dilute oceanic resource. Surveying oxide, sulfide, and emerging halide (and related) chemistries, the review identifies oxide-based NASICON-like materials such as LAGP, LATP, and LLTO as current leaders due to their aqueous stability, while also noting the promise of halides for fast 3D Li⁺ transport and the conductivity advantages of sulfides despite their moisture sensitivity. Lithium selectivity stems from an anhydrous vacancy-hopping mechanism that enables near-exclusive Li⁺ transport relative to competing cations, and recent device advances, including dual-channel architectures, pulsed-voltage operation, mixed-matrix membranes, and scalable flexible formats, underscore rapid progress toward practical deployment. The article outlines key challenges and opportunities, including deeper mechanistic insight under operando aqueous conditions, improved durability via doping and coatings, and scalable, uniform fabrication to translate ISSE membranes into industrial lithium recovery.

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Inorganic Solid-State Electrolyte Membranes for Lithium Extraction

Z. Low, Q. Zhang, Q. Wang, Z. Wang, Z. Zhong, W. Xing, H. Wang

Nature Reviews Materials, 2025, 10, 397