Spent Lithium Ion Batteries Research Articles

Pre-separation combined with reduction roasting for high-quality recovery of graphite and lithium from spent lithium ion batteries

The recycling of spent lithium ion batteries is of great significance because it contains large amounts of valuable metals. But current recovery methods exhibit limited efficiency in selectively extracting lithium from spent electrode materials and spent graphite becomes metallurgical residues. In this study, we propose a novel recycling flowchart that combines flotation with multi-stage water-leaching to enhance the recovery of graphite and lithium from black mass derived from spent lithium ion batteries. Removal of organics can be conducted by pyrolysis, at the same time, the spent ternary cathode material was decomposed into CoO, NiO, and MnO at a temperature of 600 °C for 60 min using pyrolysis product-derived reductant. The sub-microlevel migration behavior of lithium ions in electrode materials was also examined. The electrode material aggregates were broken up by water crushing, and 38.67 % lithium dissolves into water for recycling. Bubble flotation was used to recycle the excess graphite from the black mass while the residual graphite was used as reductant for the carbothermal reduction. Using the developed scheme, we were able to recover 95.51 % of lithium after carbothermal reduction with 12.31 % carbon residue. Based on basic research, a novel recycling flowchart of spent lithium-ion batteries has been proposed.

Bio-Carbon Assisted Carbothermal Reduction Process for the Recovery of Lithium and Cobalt from the Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Bio-Carbon Assisted Carbothermal Reduction Process for the Recovery of Lithium and Cobalt from the Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Kinetics of Active Seed-Induced Al(OH)3 Precipitation from NaAlO2 Solution for Recycling Aluminum from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Kinetics of Active Seed-Induced Al(OH)₃ Precipitation from NaAlO₂ Solution for Recycling Aluminum from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Recent progress in the recycling of spent graphite anodes: Failure mechanisms, repair techniques, and prospects

Recycling spent lithium-ion batteries (S-LIBs) is an effective strategy for addressing environmental concerns and the increasing demand for critical energy minerals. This process involves the recyclization of spent graphite (S-Gr), a key component of LIB anodes, which has been less studied compared to the recovery of high-value elements from the cathode. Despite its lower market value, graphite possesses unique properties and plays a vital role in LIBs, emphasizing the need for innovative recycling solutions due to the economic and environmental impacts of graphite extraction and processing. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the failure mechanisms and structural characteristics of S-Gr, offering valuable insights into the complexities of graphite anode recyclization. Existing methodologies and advancements in S-Gr recyclization are thoroughly summarized. Additionally, surface modification strategies for S-Gr recovery are analyzed, aiming to repair the damaged surface structure and restore its electrochemical performance. Finally, the prospects and challenges associated with S-Gr recyclization are presented, contributing to the sustainable development of LIB technologies and promoting the global transition toward renewable energy sources.

A Sustainable Complexation Leaching of Critical Metals from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries by Glycine in a Neutral Solution

A Sustainable Complexation Leaching of Critical Metals from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries by Glycine in a Neutral Solution

Electrochemical Approach for Lithium Recovery from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries: Opportunities and Challenges

Electrochemical Approach for Lithium Recovery from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries: Opportunities and Challenges

Towards Integration of Ni-Slag Cleaning Process and Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling for an Efficient Recovery of Valuable Metals

Spent lithium-ion batteries (SBs) are important sources of valuable and critical raw materials. An integration of battery recycling with well-established primary processes for metals production has many advantages. In this work, the recycling of two battery scrap fractions obtained from mechanical pretreatment was integrated with a Ni-slag cleaning process at laboratory scale. Graphite from SBs acted as the main reductant, and the reduction behavior of major and trace elements was investigated as a function of time at 1350 °C. Major CO and CO2 concentrations, as well as minor amounts of SO2, NO2, CH4, and C2H4, were detected in the off-gas line. The evolution of gases took place within the first minutes of the experiments, which indicated that metal oxide reduction reactions as well as decomposition of the organic binders both happened very rapidly. This result is in line with the analytical results obtained for the slag phase, where the most significant metal oxide reduction was observed to take place within the first 5 to 10 minutes of the experiments. The distribution coefficient values for Co and Ni between metal alloy and slag as well as between matte and slag showed no significant differences when battery scrap fractions with different compositions were used. The addition of Ni-concentrate in the starting mixture resulted in increasing recoveries of Ni and Co, as well as improved settling of the matte phase.

Ecotoxicological assessment, oxidative response, and enzyme activity disorder of the rotifer Brachionus asplanchnoidis exposed to a toxic cocktail of spent lithium-ion battery leachate

Spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have emerged as a major source of waste due to their low recovery rate. The physical disposal of spent LIBs can lead to the leaching of their contents into the surrounding environment. While it is widely agreed that hazardous substances such as nickel and cobalt in the leachate can pose a threat to the environment and human health, the overall composition and toxicity of LIB leachate remain unclear. In this study, a chemical analysis of leachate from spent LIBs was conducted to identify its primary constituents. The ecotoxicological parameters of the model organism, rotifer Brachionus asplanchnoidis, were assessed to elucidate the toxicity of the LIB leachate. Subsequent experiments elucidated the impacts of the LIB leachate and its representative components on the malondialdehyde (MDA) level, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme activity of B. asplanchnoidis. The results indicate that both the LIB leachate and its components are harmful to individual rotifers due to the adverse effects of stress-induced disturbances in biochemical indicators, posing a threat to population development. The intensified poisoning phenomenon under combined stress suggests the presence of complex synergistic effects among the components of LIB leachate. Due to the likely environmental and biological hazards, LIBs should be strictly managed after disposal. Additionally, more economical and eco-friendly recycling and treatment technologies need to be developed and commercialized.

Environmentally Friendly Recovery of Li2CO3 from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries by Oxidation and Selective Leaching Process

Environmentally Friendly Recovery of Li₂CO₃ from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries by Oxidation and Selective Leaching Process

Constructing High-Performance Cobalt-Based Environmental Catalysts from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries: Unveiling Overlooked Roles of Copper and Aluminum from Current Collectors.

Converting spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) cathode materials into environmental catalysts has drawn more and more attention. Herein, we fabricated a Co3O4-based catalyst from spent LiCoO2 LIBs (Co3O4-LIBs) and found that the role of Al and Cu from current collectors on its performance is nonnegligible. The density functional theory calculations confirmed that the doping of Al and/or Cu upshifts the d-band center of Co. A Fenton-like reaction based on peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation was adopted to evaluate its activity. Interestingly, Al doping strengthened chemisorption for PMS (from -2.615 eV to -2.623 eV) and shortened Co-O bond length (from 2.540 Å to 2.344 Å) between them, whereas Cu doping reduced interfacial charge-transfer resistance (from 28.347 kΩ to 6.689 kΩ) excepting for the enhancement of the above characteristics. As expected, the degradation activity toward bisphenol A of Co3O4-LIBs (0.523 min-1) was superior to that of Co3O4 prepared from commercial CoC2O4 (0.287 min-1). Simultaneously, the reasons for improved activity were further verified by comparing activity with catalysts doped Al and/or Cu into Co3O4. This work reveals the role of elements from current collectors on the performance of functional materials from spent LIBs, which is beneficial to the sustainable utilization of spent LIBs.

Research on the Human–Robot Collaborative Disassembly Line Balancing of Spent Lithium Batteries with a Human Factor Load

The disassembly of spent lithium batteries is a prerequisite for efficient product recycling, the first link in remanufacturing, and its operational form has gradually changed from traditional manual disassembly to robot-assisted human–robot cooperative disassembly. Robots exhibit robust load-bearing capacity and perform stable repetitive tasks, while humans possess subjective experiences and tacit knowledge. It makes the disassembly activity more adaptable and ergonomic. However, existing human–robot collaborative disassembly studies have neglected to account for time-varying human conditions, such as safety, cognitive behavior, workload, and human pose shifts. Firstly, in order to overcome the limitations of existing research, we propose a model for balancing human–robot collaborative disassembly lines that take into consideration the load factor related to human involvement. This entails the development of a multi-objective mathematical model aimed at minimizing both the cycle time of the disassembly line and its associated costs while also aiming to reduce the integrated smoothing exponent. Secondly, we propose a modified multi-objective fruit fly optimization algorithm. The proposed algorithm combines chaos theory and the global cooperation mechanism to improve the performance of the algorithm. We add Gaussian mutation and crowding distance to efficiently solve the discrete optimization problem. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness and sensitivity of the improved multi-objective fruit fly optimization algorithm by solving and analyzing an example of Mercedes battery pack disassembly.

Enhancement Mechanism of the Difference of Hydrophobicity between Anode and Cathode Active Materials from Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Using Plasma Modification

Enhancement Mechanism of the Difference of Hydrophobicity between Anode and Cathode Active Materials from Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Using Plasma Modification

Deep eutectic solvent with acidity, reducibility, and coordination capability for recycling of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion battery cathodes

The substantial increase in spent lithium-ion batteries (SLIB) has resulted in serious environmental impacts that require attention and appropriate intervention. In this study, we designed a DES composed of ethylene glycol (EG) and hydroxylamine hydrochloride (NH2OH·HCl) with appropriate acidity, remarkable reductive property and strong coordination capability for the efficient one-step leaching of cobalt ions and lithium ions from LiCoO2 (LCO). Following leaching at a modest temperature of 80 °C for 8 h, the solubility of LiCoO2 reaches an 83.3 mg g−1 (much higher than previous works), accompanied by remarkably high leaching efficiencies of up to 99.7 % for lithium and 88.0 % for recovery of cobalt. Notably, this approach significantly enhances the solubility of the LiCoO2 while upholding leaching efficiency. Importantly, this study achieves a one-step separation of lithium and cobalt, avoiding metal co-precipitation and simplifying the separation procedure. Furthermore, the residual components within the system can be reclaimed and recycled. This work provides an efficient and sustainable route for the recovery of precious metals from lithium-ion batteries, characterized by its cost-effectiveness and straightforward processing.

Recovery of lithium and copper from anode electrode materials of spent LIBs by acidic leaching.

In view of the importance of environmental protection and resource recovery, recycling of spent lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is quite necessary. In the present study, lithium and copper are recycled to lithium carbonate and copper oxide from anode electrode material of the spent LIBs. The anode electrode material is firstly treated with hydrochloric acid to leach lithium (96.6%) and then with nitric acid to leach copper (97.6%). Furthermore, lithium and copper are recovered as lithium carbonate and copper oxide from their respective solutions using precipitation and calcinations. These synthesized products are further characterized using XRD, FE-SEM, and EDX analysis. Finally, a simple process is proposed for the recovery of lithium and copper from anode electrode material of spent LIBs.

Selective Lithium Leaching from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries via a Combination of Reduction Roasting and Mechanochemical Activation

Selective Lithium Leaching from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries via a Combination of Reduction Roasting and Mechanochemical Activation

Study on the influence mechanism of carbothermal reduction and selective leaching of valuable metals in spent lithium batteries

AbstractBACKGROUNDExploring an innovative method for precious metal recovery from spent batteries, our study combines hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy, focusing on pivotal carbothermal reduction. This crucial phase enhances the leachability of metals by significantly reducing their valence. To evaluate the effect of novel carbon (C) materials on this reduction process, our study synthesized two types of nanoporous Cs, Al‐PCP‐800 and ZIF‐8‐800, found in electrode materials. Their carbothermal reduction efficacy was compared to activated (A)C using thermogravimetric analysis.RESULTSThe experimental findings revealed that ZIF‐8‐800 exhibits superior reducibility, initiating and reaching peak weight loss rate at a lower temperature of 692.01 °C with a peak of 32.27%/°C. Under the optimized conditions (roasting temperature 750 °C, time 3 h, C content 20%, 2.75 mol L−1 H3PO4 concentration, 40 °C leaching temperature, liquid‐to‐solid ratio of 6 mL g−1, leaching time 10 min) the leaching efficiency of lithium (Li) and manganese (Mn) reached 100%, indicating complete extraction with ZIF‐8‐800. However, cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) leaching with ZIF‐8‐800 was low (3.22%, 2.06%). Al‐PCP‐800 showed slightly less leaching efficiency for Li and Mn, but higher efficiency for Co and Ni. Activated C led to incomplete Li and Mn extraction, with higher Co and Ni leaching, diminishing the process's selectivity.CONCLUSIONThe study confirms that the C material in carbothermal reduction significantly impacts metal leaching efficiency and selectivity. ZIF‐8‐800 was the most effective for Li and Mn leaching, outperforming Al‐PCP‐800 and AC in selectivity. This underscores ZIF‐8‐800's potential to improve metal recovery from spent batteries. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Innovative Method to Recover Graphite from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Innovative Method to Recover Graphite from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

Recycling valuable materials from the spent lithium ion batteries to catalysts: methods, applications, and characterization

As the prevailing technology for energy storage, the extensive adoption of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) inevitably results in the accumulation of numerous spent batteries at the end of their lifecycle. From the standpoints of environmental protection and resource sustainability, recycling emerges as an essential strategy to effectively manage end-of-life LIBs and reclaim valuable elements within them. Hydrometallurgy, closely intertwined with catalysis, stands as a relatively mature strategy for achieving high-value utilization of spent LIBs. In this review, our emphasis is placed on the interconnected themes of catalysis within the realm of hydrometallurgical recycling. Specifically, we delve into the crucial role that catalysis plays in both the recycling process of LIBs and the sustainable utilization of their extracted materials in various catalytic applications. This focused exploration aims to contribute insights into the intricate relationship between catalysis and the broader context of LIB recycling, shedding light on its pivotal role in achieving both environmental sustainability and functional material repurposing. Moreover, we highlight advanced characterization techniques, represented by surface-sensitive enhanced Raman spectroscopy, to fundamentally understand the reaction mechanism of catalysts, which, in turn, would inform more rational catalyst designs.

Recovery of Cobalt, Nickel, and Lithium from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries with Gluconic Acid Leaching Process: Kinetics Study

The demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is driven by environmental concerns and market growth, particularly in the transportation sector. The EU’s push for net-zero emissions and the European Green Deal accentuates the role of battery technologies in sustainable energy supply. Organic acids, like gluconic acid, are explored for the eco-friendly leaching of valuable metals from spent batteries. This study investigates leaching kinetics using gluconic acid (hydrolyzed glucono-1.5-lacton), analyzing factors such as temperature, acid concentration, particle size, and reaction time. Results reveal the temperature’s influence on leaching efficiency for cobalt, nickel, and lithium. The mechanism for Co follows a surface chemical reaction model with an activation energy of 28.2 kJ·mol−1. Nickel, on the contrary, shows a diffusion-controlled regime and an activation energy of 70.1 kJ·mol−1. The reaction of leaching Ni and Co using gluconic acid was determined to be first-order. The process within this environmentally friendly alternative leaching agent shows great potential for sustainable metal recovery.

From power to plants: unveiling the environmental footprint of lithium batteries.

Widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries in electronic products, electric cars, and renewable energy systems has raised severe worries about the environmental consequences of spent lithium batteries. Because of its mobility and possible toxicity to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, lithium, as a vital component of battery technology, has inherent environmental problems. Leaching of lithium from discharged batteries, as well as its subsequent migration through soil and water, represents serious environmental hazards, since it accumulates in the food chain, impacting ecosystems and human health. This study thoroughly analyses the effects of lithium on plants, including its absorption, transportation, and toxicity. An attempt has been made to examine how lithium moves throughout plants through symplastic and apoplastic pathways and the factors that affect lithium accumulation in plant tissues, such as soil pH and calcium. This review focuses on the possible toxicity of lithium and its impact on ecosystems and human health. Aside from examining the environmental impacts, this review also emphasizes the significance of proper disposal and recycling measures in order to offset the negative effects of used lithium batteries. The paper also highlights the need for ongoing research to develop innovative and sustainable techniques for lithium recovery and remediation.