Editors: | F. Kongoli, K. Aifantis, C. Capiglia, A. Fox, R. Yazami, A. U. H. Qurashi |
Publisher: | Flogen Star OUTREACH |
Publication Year: | 2023 |
Pages: | 90 pages |
ISBN: | 978-1-989820-82-7 (CD) |
ISSN: | 2291-1227 (Metals and Materials Processing in a Clean Environment Series) |
Spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) rank second in volume after lead-acid batteries in the total number of used batteries [1]. The volume of this type of hazardous waste now amounts to hundreds of kilotons. More than half of such waste is currently not recycled [2]. The main reason for the need to recycle LIB waste is currently its danger to the environment.
When recycling electronics and household appliances waste, used LIBs contain cathode materials such as LiCoO2 (LCO), LiNi1-x-yMnxCoy (NMC); LiMn2O4 (LMO), LiFePO4 (LFP), etc. The mixture of cathode materials in this case contains valuable Co components (up to half the mass), significant amounts of Ni, Li, Mn. The peculiarities of this material include the variability of its composition, which must be taken into account in the work. The physicochemical characteristics of such materials are given in [3].
The objective of the research is to develop a low-cost method for leaching valuable components from a mixture of cathode materials. A solution of sulfuric acid with additives of the reducing agent hydrogen peroxide was used. The dependence of the efficiency of the process on the concentration of acid, reducing agent, phase ratio, temperature, leaching kinetics was studied, and the optimal parameters for its implementation were determined. It was found that at a concentration of sulfuric acid 4 mol/l, hydrogen peroxide 2 mol/l, temperature 800C in 3 hours. The degree of leaching of all the above elements is more than 99%.
Further processing of the resulting solution should be aimed at obtaining lithium compounds and precursors of NMC-type cathode materials, which will significantly reduce the cost of LIB disposal compared to the isolation of individual compounds.