Sustainable Approach for Critical Metals Recovery through Hydrometallurgical Processing of Spent Batteries Using Organic Acids

Abstract

Recycling is the bottom line to promote the circularity of the materials into the closed loop. Among the Li-ion batteries, the LiCoO 2 -cathode type is used in a few vehicles but mostly in electric equipment. This study aimed to design a recycling process for LiCoO 2 -pouch batteries. The entire process was designed using organic acids. The cells were milled and physically separated. Leaching experiments were performed with citric acid. No reducing agent was necessary, and all Co and Li were leached using 1 mol/L of citric acid at 90 °C with a solid−liquid ratio of 1/10 for 2 h. Co was separated using oxalic acid at 50 °C for 30 min in a Co/oxalic acid molar ratio of 1:2. Resynthesis of the cathode was possible, producing a similar material directly from the leach solution, which opens possibilities for the future. The present study fits SDGs 7,9,11, 12,and 13.

Design of Recycling Processes for NCA-Type Li-Ion Batteries from Electric Vehicles toward the Circular Economy

“…The novelty of the present study is the leaching of activated material without a reducing agent and the recovery of materials after the milling process. As reported by Guimarães et al for NMC batteries using H 2 SO 4 and Martins et al for LCO batteries using citric acid, it has been demonstrated that a reducing agent is not required for a leaching reaction, and the evaluation of the absence of a reducing agent was tested for LCA batteries. Techno-economic analysis of the leaching reaction was performed and compared to the literature.…”

Efficient Leaching of Metal Ions from Spent Li-Ion Battery Combined Electrode Coatings Using Hydroxy Acid Mixtures and Regeneration of Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide

“…Then, the cathode material was regenerated by the addition of lithium acetate, precipitation as oxalate by the addition of oxalic acid, followed by pyrolysis at 900 • C [23]. The use of common hydroxy polycarboxylic acid (citric acid) without an oxidizing agent for leaching metals from simpler mixed metal oxides such as lithium cobalt oxide and lithium nickel cobalt oxide is known [31,32]. In the lithium cobalt oxide example, Martins and co-workers have reported quantitative leachings of both Li and Co from LiCoO 2 battery material by using 1.0 M aqueous citric acid without any additional reagents [31].…”

“…The use of common hydroxy polycarboxylic acid (citric acid) without an oxidizing agent for leaching metals from simpler mixed metal oxides such as lithium cobalt oxide and lithium nickel cobalt oxide is known [31,32]. In the lithium cobalt oxide example, Martins and co-workers have reported quantitative leachings of both Li and Co from LiCoO 2 battery material by using 1.0 M aqueous citric acid without any additional reagents [31]. Similarly, de Castro and co-workers used an aqueous solution of citric acid without other reagents and reported over 80% leaching for Li, Ni, and Co at 90 • C [32].…”