Metal Reclamation from Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Materials: Directional Conversion of Metals Based on Hydrogen Reduction

Release time:2022-12-10

DOI number:10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c05721

Journal:ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

Abstract:The vast amount of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), after exhausting their useful life, necessitates comprehensive recycling for metal reclamation. This paper proposed using hydrogen as a green reductant to reduce the cathode materials of spent LIBs, followed by wet magnetic separation. The inspiration behind this is to realize pollution-free and highly efficient separation of high-value metals from LIB cathode materials by utilizing hydrogen reduction to attain directional conversion of metals based on water solubility and magnetism differences. The effect of two major variables, that is, reduction temperature and time, on the leaching efficiency of Li and recovery of Ni, Co, and Mn, are investigated. The experimental results showed that the nickel–cobalt–manganese LIB cathode was primarily transformed into water-soluble Li2O, magnetic Ni–Co alloy, and nonmagnetic manganese oxides after hydrogen reduction under optimum conditions of 800 °C for 90 min. The reduction products underwent water-leaching to recover Li with a recovery of 96.8 wt %. Ni and Co are further separated magnetically from manganese oxides with recovery rates of 99.8 wt % Ni, 99.4 wt % Co into the magnetic fraction, and 90.3 wt % Mn into the nonmagnetic fraction.

Volume:10

Issue:2

Page Number:756-765

Translation or Not:no

Date of Publication:2022-01-05

Included Journals:SCI