In
this study, a green process with prospective environmental and economic
significance has been experimentally and theoretically established
for the sustainable recovery of metals from spent lithium-ion batteries
(LIBs). Three leaching systems were explored for the application of
different biomass as reductants. According to leaching results, H3Cit (citric acid) and tea waste and H3Cit/H2O2 systems reveal similar leaching abilities (96%
Co and 98% Li; 98% Co and 99% Li, respectively), while the H3Cit/Phytolacca Americana system shows inferior leaching performance
(83% Co and 96% Li) under the optimized conditions. Tentative exploration
of oxidation mechanism for different biomass indicates that potential
reducing substances contained in biomass can be employed as efficient
reductants during leaching. Then both metal ions and waste citric
acid can be simultaneously recovered by selective precipitation. About
99% Co and 93% Li could be recovered as CoC2O4·2H2O and Li3PO4, and the recycled
citric acid demonstrates similar leaching capability as fresh acid
according to circulatory leaching experiments. Finally, solution chemistry
theory and waste stream analysis were investigated to provide theoretical
foundation for the recovery process.
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