Selective Recycling of Decommissioned LiFePO4 Batteries by High Temperature Oxidation Roasting-Sulphuric Acid Leaching
摘要
Improper disposal of decommissioned LiFePO4 battery materials, classified as solid waste, causes both environmental pollution and resource wastage. This paper proposes an efficient recycling process for decommissioned LiFePO4 batteries. Thermodynamic analysis employing Li–Fe–P–O equilibrium diagrams at 500 °C, 600 °C, and 700 °C and Li–Fe–P–H2O E-pH diagrams at 298 and 368 K confirmed that controlled oxygen partial pressure and temperature decompose LiFePO4 into Li2O and FePO4, while low pH and elevated temperature promote selective lithium leaching. Single-factor experiments established optimal oxidative roasting conditions at 600 °C for 4 hours, disrupting the olivine structure and achieving 98.77 pct lithium dissolution. Subsequent leaching optimization identified the ideal conditions: 90 °C reaction temperature, 3 hours duration, 5:1 liquid-solid ratio, and 0.6 mol/L H2SO4 cconcentration. This configuration achieved 98.88 pct lithium extraction with suppressed dissolution of Fe and P, enabling effective separation of these elements. The leach residue underwent acid solubilization and dealuminization to precipitate amorphous FePO4·2H2O, which was converted to high-purity battery-grade FePO4 through thermal dehydration. Finally, the lithium-rich solution was purified, concentrated, and reacted with sodium carbonate, producing battery-grade Li2CO3 with 99.56 pct purity.