Recovery of Li(Ni0.33Mn0.33Co0.33)O2 from Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes: Aspects of Degradation

Abstract

Nickel–manganese–cobalt oxides, with LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2 (NMC) as the most prominent compound, are state-of-the-art cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. The growing market for electro mobility has led to a growing global demand for Li, Co, Ni, and Mn, making spent lithium-ion batteries a valuable secondary resource. Going forward, energy- and resource-inefficient pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recycling strategies must be avoided. We presented an approach to recover NMC particles from spent lithium-ion battery cathodes while preserving their chemical and morphological properties, with a minimal use of chemicals. The key task was the separation of the cathode coating layer consisting of NMC, an organic binder, and carbon black, from the Al substrate foil. This can be performed in water under strong agitation to support the slow detachment process. However, the contact of the NMC cathode with water leads to a release of Li+ ions and a fast increase in the pH. Unwanted side reactions may occur as the Al substrate foil starts to dissolve and Al(OH)3 precipitates on the NMC. These side reactions are avoided using pH-adjusted solutions with sufficiently high buffer capacities to separate the coating layer from the Al substrate, without precipitations and without degradation of the NMC particles.

Investigation of the leaching mechanism of NMC 811 (LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2) by hydrochloric acid for recycling lithium ion battery cathodes

“…Nevertheless, only few studies are devoted to investigate NMC 811 recycling while more papers concerns the development of recycling processes for the recovery of metals from NMC 111. [8][9][10] Hydrometallurgy appears as the good technology to extract valuable metals from spent LIBs because it can recover all metals contained in spent LIBs including lithium unlike pyrometallurgy. 11 This process usually involves acid leaching to dissolve the cathode material, followed by solvent extraction or precipitation to separate each metal.…”

Electrochemical studies of 1-ferrocenylmethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium iodide and 1-(ferrocenylmethyl)-3-mesityl-imidazolium iodide: redox potential and substituent effects

“…The first example of an air-and water-stable imidazolium salt was reported in 1992 by Wilkes and Zaworotko [4]. All these properties of ionic liquids made interesting in rechargeable batteries [5], it showed a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries and lithium sulfate played a role in improving the ability to use conventional electric batteries [6][7]. The electrochemical stability of electrolytes, defined as the difference between solvent and oxidation reduction potentials, plays an important role on a large scale [8].…”

Editorial for the Special Issue “Characterization of Nanomaterials: Selected Papers from 6th Dresden Nanoanalysis Symposium”

“…The scope of this Special Issue is to provide an overview of the current status, recent developments and research activities in the field of nanoscale materials characterization, with a particular emphasis on future scenarios. Primarily, analytical techniques for the characterization of thin films and nanostructures [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] are discussed, including modeling and simulation [9]. Particular techniques for materials characterization are 3D time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy [1], in situ X-ray diffraction [6] and electron backscatter diffraction [8].…”

“…Several papers cover advanced nanostructured materials for future electronic devices and sensors [2,3,5,7]. In addition, degradation processes in battery electrodes [4] and the growth kinetics of intermetallic phases [8] are addressed. We anticipate this Special Issue to be accessible to a wide audience, as it explores not only methodical aspects of nanoscale materials characterization, but also materials synthesis, fabrication of devices and applications.…”

“…The authors of paper [4] study materials aging in nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) oxides and related lifetime-reducing degradation processes in cathodes of lithium-ion batteries. Sieber et al present an approach to recover NMC particles from lithium-ion battery cathodes while preserving their chemical and morphological properties, with a minimal use of chemicals.…”