Full Tailored Metal Content NCM Regeneration from Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Mixture Under Mild Condition

Abstract

Mild conditioned, second-life ternary nickel–cobalt–manganese (NCM) black powder regeneration from spent lithium-ion batteries’ (LIBs) black powder mixture was demonstrated after mild conditioned p-toluenesulphuric acid (PTA)-assisted wet leaching. The NCM ratio was tailored to several combinations (333, 523, 532, and 622) by adding a suitable amount of metal (Ni, Co, Mn)-sulphate salt to the leachate. Regenerated NCM was obtained by co-precipitation with sodium hydroxide pellets and ammonia pH buffering solution, followed by lithium (Li) sintering under ambient air and size sieving. The obtained regenerated NCM powder was used for the energy storage materials (ESM) in coin cell (Li half-cell, CR2032) evaluation. Systematic characterization of regenerated NCM showed that the NCM ratio was close to the target value as assigned in the tailored process, and regenerated 622 (R622) exhibited strong activity in CR2032 coin cell testing among all four ratios with a maximum discharge capacity of 196.6 mAh/g.