Recovery of valuable metals from spent Li-ion batteries

Abstract

Lithium-ion battery production is expected to rise and with it battery waste. Recycling of lithium-ion batteries through hydrometallurgy presents an important role in handling hazardous battery waste and recovery of metals. Two approaches were investigated to remove the impurity copper from a leached acid battery solution from spent lithium-ion batteries through solvent extraction or scrubbing. Solvent extraction with Acorga M5640, mixture of Acorga M5640 and Cyanex 272 as well as LIX 84-I were tested at different concentrations and pH values. The best results were achieved using Acorga M5640 20 v% (37% extraction of copper and co-extraction of 11% cobalt, at a pH of 0.8). In alternative, solvent extraction of manganese followed by scrubbing the impurities were tested. D2EHPA (0.5 M) was used as the extractant and the optimal pH for the solvent extraction of manganese was determined between 2.3-2.5 and the optimal O:A ratio 1:1 (Extraction Cu 22%, Co 14% Mn 75%). Scrubbing results using 4 g/L ( and ) and 6 g/L manganese ( ) showed the least coextraction with 6 g/L manganese using , in two stages. Stripping product of 21 g/L manganese and 0.4 g/L cobalt was obtained under the conditions (O:A 10:1, 0.5 M H2SO4 and 25 min contact time) in one stage.