Recent advances in heteroatom doping for performance optimization of inorganic metal-based lithium-ion adsorbents

Lithium has become an increasingly critical resource in the global economy, with applications spanning energy storage, chemical manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. As global energy demands continue to rise, the extraction of lithium from untapped salt-lake resources has gained strategic importance. While both organic and inorganic adsorbents have been developed for lithium recovery, organic variants have proven less effective due to their limited efficiency and selectivity. This review focuses on inorganic metal-based lithium-ion adsorbents, specifically lithium aluminum layered double hydroxides (LiAl-LDHs), lithium manganese oxides (LMO), and lithium titanate oxides (LTO). Recent advances in the heteroatom doping modification of these materials were examined, analyzing their chemical structures, adsorption mechanisms, and the impact of doping on performance and stability. The review systematically evaluates how various doping strategies enhance adsorption capacity and structural integrity, providing a comprehensive assessment of current technologies and their future potential in lithium extraction applications.