Development of metal–ligand ion-exchange membranes functionalized with crown ether–ionic liquids for selective Li + /Mg 2+ separation

A crown ether–ionic liquid functionalized ion-exchange membrane was developed for selective Li + /Mg 2+ separation in electrodialysis, achieving a Li + /Mg 2+ selectivity of 10.45 at pH 7.5 with enhanced permeability, pH responsiveness, and stability.