Recovery of Li and Co from LiCoO2 via Hydrometallurgical–Electrodialytic Treatment

Abstract

Lithium-ion batteries play an important role in our modern society as the main option to power portable electronic devices and electric vehicles. The growing demand for these batteries encourages the development of more efficient recycling processes, aiming to decrease the environmental impact of the spent batteries and recover their valuable components. In this paper, a combined hydrometallurgical-electrodialytic method is proposed for processing battery waste. In the combined technique, the amount of leaching solution is reduced as acid is generated via electrolysis. At the same time, the use of ion-exchange membranes and the possibility of electroplating allows for a selective separation of the target metals. Experiments were performed using LiCoO2, which is one of the most used cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. First, 0.1 M HCl solution was used in batch extractions to study the kinetics of LiCoO2 dissolution, reaching an extraction of 30% and 69% of cobalt and lithium, respectively. Secondly, hydrometallurgical extraction experiments were carried out in three-compartment electrodialytic cells, enhanced with cation-exchange membranes. Experiments yielded to a selective recovery in the catholyte of 62% of lithium and 33% of cobalt, 80% of the latter electrodeposited at the cathode.

Hydrometallurgical Extraction of Li and Co from LiCoO2 Particles–Experimental and Modeling

“…Although the unreacted shrinking core and the Avrami models can satisfactorily fit the experimental observations, they lack the ability to describe the physicochemical particularities of the process. In particular, from our previous results on Li and Co extraction from LiCoO 2 particles via acidic leaching [24], two important observations were pointed out:…”

“…The model is described from the stoichiometric reactions reported in the bibliography and takes into account the formation of an insoluble crust of Co 3 O 4 , which resembles the USCM. The formation of the Co 3 O 4 crust was detected through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in [24]. The model is validated with two sets of experiments at different conditions of pH and solid to liquid ratios.…”

Electrodialysis Applications in Wastewater Treatment for Environmental Protection and Resources Recovery: A Systematic Review on Progress and Perspectives

“…Please note that studies on similar or hybrid processes have been growing, i.e., EDI with configurations deviating from conventional ED stacks (important role of electrode chambers) [ 42 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 183 ], RED and fuel cell (Fenton)-RED with wastewater treatment at the electrode compartments [ 53 , 57 , 544 , 545 , 546 , 547 ], concentration gradient or pH gradient flow batteries [ 548 , 549 , 550 ], membrane electrolysis and electro-electrodialysis [ 551 , 552 , 553 , 554 , 555 , 556 , 557 , 558 , 559 , 560 ], hybrid liquid membrane-ED [ 561 , 562 , 563 ], decoupled ED [ 564 ], shock ED [ 565 ], (membrane) capacitive deionisation [ 566 , 567 , 568 , 569 , 570 , 571 , 572 , 573 , 574 ], membrane electrode redox transistor ED [ 575 ], bio-electrochemical systems [ 576 , 577 , 578 , 579 ] including microbial desalination cell [ 580 , 581 , 582 , 583 ], microbial desalination and chem...…”

Literature Review, Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries from Electric Vehicles, Part I: Recycling Technology

“…Various hydrometallurgy techniques were developed in recent times for recycling cathode active materials of different chemistries LIBs including Lithium Cobalt Dioxide (LCO), Lithium Manganese Dioxide (LMO), Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide, (NMC), Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA), and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) [52], to recover valuable metals such as Co, Ni, Mn, and Li [53,54]. The whole hydrometallurgical process is created by physical and chemical methods proceeding in liquid media, which allow the high recovery of these metals [26,55,56].…”