Recovery of LiCoO2 and graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries by molten-salt electrolysis

Spent graphite from lithium-ion batteries: re-use and the impact of ball milling for re-use

“…The recovery efficiencies for Li, Co, and graphite are reported at 99.3%, 98.1%, and 83.6%, respectively. 28 The cost assessment by Gutsch is consistent with market reports, indicating that the total cost of manufacturing a new cell is around $94.5 per kW h −1 . However, recycling cells via hydrometallurgy incurs costs of only $6.8 to $8.6 per kW h −1 for manufacturing, with electricity costs averaging about $0.18 per kW h −1 (in Europe), representing merely 13% of the expense of producing fresh cells.…”

Electrochemical Approach for Lithium Recovery from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries: Opportunities and Challenges

“…With optimum conditions, 99.3% of lithium, 98.1% of Co, and 83.6% of graphite could be recovered. 86 High-temperature molten-salt-based electrochemical methods have been proven to be a highly efficient way to recycle lithium from LiCoO 2 and LiFePO 4 cathode materials. It utilizes electrons produced by the electric field to drive redox reactions, avoiding the use of toxic chemicals.…”

“…Co and graphite could be separated by magnetic separation, and Li 2 CO 3 can be recovered by water leaching. With optimum conditions, 99.3% of lithium, 98.1% of Co, and 83.6% of graphite could be recovered …”