Analysis of Mass Balance, Energy Consumption, and Economics of the Closed-Loop Hydrometallurgical Recycling Waste/Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Active Materials

Abstract

A closed-loop hydrometallurgical recycling process can be achieved by adapting lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to remove impurity, LiOH to co-precipitate metal hydroxide, and employing electrodialysis to regenerate LiOH and sulfuric acid. The closed-loop recycling process has achieved two perspectives; commercial grade NMC cathode active materials can be generated from recycling spent/waste LIB cathode active material, and sulfuric acid and LiOH deriving from mother liquor are re-engaged in the whole process to achieve the mass balance without waste discharge. Based on the available chemical cost, the economics of the closed-loop hydrometallurgical process to recycle waste/spent LIB cathode active material is analyzed. Hydrometallurgical recycling of spent/waste LIB cathode active materials, compared to other methods, has many advantages, including high recovery of metals, high purity of the recovered metals, and low-energy consumption.