Recovery of Nickel and Cobalt from Spent NiMH Batteries by Electrowinning

Abstract

For nickel and cobalt recovery from spent NiMH batteries by electrowinning, the effect of different electrowinning parameters as boric acid concentration, temperature, current density, and pH were studied using different synthetic solutions. The optimized operational parameters were applied in an electrowinning test with a solution achieved by leaching the electrodes of NiMH batteries. The electrowinning tests were performed galvanostatically in a two‐compartment cell separated by an anionic membrane. A platinum/iridium‐coated titanium anode and a stainless‐steel cathode were used. A sodium sulfate solution served as anolyte. The results demonstrate the technical viability of nickel and cobalt recovery. The chemical composition of the obtained deposit presented high nickel and cobalt concentrations.

Extraction/Separation of Cobalt by Solvent Extraction: A Review

“…The desire to conserve resources and energy, to reduce wastes and the costs of disposing from mining and mineral processing, to reduce levels of such hazardous materials as cadmium in NiCd batteries from the environment, address urban mining notions and to demonstrate an environmentally responsible image; environmental regulations; and periodic increases in the price of cobalt play a role in promoting cobalt recycling and recovery [67]. Recycling of cobalt from various like scrap lithium ion battery [68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75], spent Ni-Cd batteries [76], spent Ni-MH batteries [77][78][79][80], spent aerospace material [79], spent Co/Mo/-Al2O3 catalysts [80], and Co-based alloy scraps [81] have been reported in the literature. Among all the lithium ion battery recycling through hydrometallurgy using solvent extraction is quite common and fairly applied in the industries [82][83][84][85][86][87].…”

Effect of Acidic Media During the Hydrothermal Leaching of NiTi Alloy

“…Effects of strong mineral acids such as H 2 SO 4 , HCl and HNO 3 were largely investigated in recycling via hydrometallurgical leaching processes of materials containing nickel and / or titanium metals. In literature different mineral acids such as H 2 SO 4 , HCl and HNO 3 were used in leaching processes, of which the prominent using acid was [8][9][10][11][12]. In a study on leaching of NiMH batteries, 80% dissolution e ciency was obtained in experiments in which 2 M H 2 SO 4 solution 1/20 solid/liquid ratio was applied under stirring for 4 hours at 90 °C [9].…”

Metal Foam Electrode as a Cathode for Copper Electrowinning

“…The ever-increasing need for electronics, especially, handheld and portable electronics, and the need to reduce their size and increase their efficiency, generates a lot of various electronics waste all over the globe [1][2][3]. There are many ways to reclaim used metals in electronic waste; however, electrowinning is a very efficient and quite selective process allowing the recovery of high amounts of various pure metals [4][5][6]. Metallic foams and porous electrodes have an outstanding potential to be used as a cathode to collect deposited metals because of the functionality of their combined material properties resulting from their specific morphology.…”