Various polymorphs of MnO
2 were synthesized under a controlled hydrothermal method. The structure characteristics and ion exchangeability were studied by XRD, TEM,
Li+ adsorption isotherm, kinetics and selectivity measurement. The MnO
2 nanowires, mainly about
in diameter and length, are found to have a remarkable lithium ion-sieve property with equilibrium distribution coefficients
(Kd) in the order of
Na+<K+<Mg2+<Ca2+Li+,
Li+ monolayer saturation amount of
, and the first-order adsorption rate constant of
, which is promising in the lithium extraction from brine or seawater.