Removal of impurity elements from waste lithium-ion batteries powder by oxidation roasting, cyclic leaching, and precipitation method

Abstract

In recent years, the efficient and clean recovery of valuable metals from waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has become a hot spot in the field of resource recycling, which will produce significant environmental and economic benefits. This paper presents a treatment method for waste LIBs powder, including three stages, oxidation roasting,cyclic leaching and precipitation. In the First stage, the battery powder underwent a decarbonization process in an O₂ atmosphere (700 °C, gas flow rate 240 mL/min for 30 min), resulting in a decarbonization rate of 99%. In the second stage, valuable metals were leached in a sulfuric acid system with N₂H₄·H₂O as reductant. Under optimal conditions (0.64 mol/L N₂H₄·H₂O, 6 mol/L H₂SO₄, 80 °C, 5 mL/g, 120 min), the leaching rates of Li, Ni, Co, Mn, Al, and Cu were all over 90%. Also, using N₂H₄·H₂O as a reducing agent, Cu was removed from the leaching solution through cyclic leaching. Under the optimal conditions (0.64 mol/L N₂H₄·H₂O, liquid-solid ratio is 6 mL/g, 80 °C, 120 min), the precipitation rate of Cu was 96%, and Cu was reduced to Cu₂O to enter the precipitated slag. Finally, C₇H₅NaO₂ was used to selectively precipitate Al from the leaching solution, resulting in a precipitation rate of 96%. Al entered the precipitate in the form of Al(C₇H₅O₂)₃ which can be dissolved in dilute acid (0.5 mol/L HCL), allowing for benzoic acid to be recycled.

Keywords

waste lithium-ion battery clean recovery / oxidation roasting / cyclic leaching / precipitation

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