Closed-Loop Recycling of Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Manganese from Waste Lithium-Ion Batteries of Electric Vehicles

Abstract

With the growing awareness to protect the urban environment and the increasing demand for strategic materials, recycling of postconsumer lithium-ion batteries has become imperative. This study aims to recover lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from a LiNi 0.15 Mn 0.15 Co 0.70 O 2 cathode material of spent lithium-ion batteries of an electric vehicle. By utilizing systematic experimental and theoretical approaches based on the design of experiment and response surface methodology, the best leachant between HCl and H 2 SO 4 + H 2 O 2 and the optimal operating conditions are determined. Leaching with 1.0 M H 2 SO 4 mixed with 0.62 wt % H 2 O 2 at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 25.8 mL g −1 and a temperature of 51 °C for 60 min results in ∼100% recovery of all four metals. After leaching, cobalt, nickel, and manganese are coprecipitated as Ni 0.15 Mn 0.15 Co 0.70 (OH) 2 at pH above 11, while lithium is precipitated as lithium carbonate. These precipitates are mixed and sintered to generate a new cathode material, which is used to make a battery with high electrochemical performance. Valorization of spent lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles enables conserving natural resources and protecting ecosystems, both of which enable the long-term sustainability of the biosphere while at the same time contributing to the circular economy.

Prospects for managing end‐of‐life lithium‐ion batteries: Present and future

“…Hydrometallurgy is another lever that dominates the recycling market and is widely applied in the Asian region in particular. [26][27][28][29] After mechanical pretreatment, a combination of acids, bases, and reducing agents is usually adopted to dissolve the cathode materials, followed by subsequent purification and separation of the metals through precipitation, solvent extraction, and electrochemical routes. [30][31][32] The hydrometallurgical process can maintain the high purity of the obtained material, and the low temperature operating also highlights the preponderance of safe recovery.…”

Recycling of Lithium Batteries—A Review

“…Mixed acid systems are often used to leach spent LIBs. Chan et al [53] recovered lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from LiNi 0.15 Mn 0.15 Co 0.70 O 2 , the cathode material of used LIBs for electric vehicles. A systematic experimental and theoretical approach based on experimental design and response surface methodology is used to determine the optimum leaching agent and optimal operating conditions for HCl with H 2 SO 4 + H 2 O 2 .…”

Advances and Challenges on Recycling the Electrode and Electrolyte Materials in Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

“…A comprehensive comparison of these leaching processes presents in Table 1. Inorganic acids such as HCl, [50][51][52] H 2 SO 4 , [53][54][55] and HNO 3 [56,57] are the most used leaching agents. And the main parameters (the kind of acid and reducing agents, temperature, time, and solid-to-liquid ratio) are adequately studied.…”