Application of an Alternative Leaching System for Recovery of Lithium, Nickel and Cobalt from Spent Lithium Ion Batteries
摘要
Rapid growth of the electric vehicleElectric Vehicles (EVs) and energy storage system industries has significantly increased the demandDemand for lithium ion batteriesLithium Ion Batteries (LIB) and the generation of end-of-life lithium ion batteriesLithium Ion Batteries (LIB) (EOL LIBs). This trend highlights the importance of recyclingRecycling EOL LIBsLithium Ion Batteries (LIB). Currently, EOL LIBs are generally processed through hydrometallurgical methods. The conventional lixiviants used in leachingLeaching processes are inorganic acidsAcid, which may release environmentally harmful substances such as Cl−, NOx, Na2SO4, and total nitrogen. Therefore, this research aims to enhance the environmentalEnvironmental sustainabilitySustainability of the leachingLeaching process by using an alternative lixiviantAlternative lixiviant, methanesulfonic acid (MSAMethanesulfonic Acid (MSA)). BioleachingBioleaching using indigenous species in Korea was also investigated. Various concentrations of MSAMethanesulfonic Acid (MSA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were tested between 25 and 80 ℃. Meanwhile, clean nickelNickel, cobaltCobalt, manganese (NCM) cathodic materials were leached using thirty new strains from abandoned mine sites in Korea to determine the best bioleachingBioleaching strain. LeachingLeaching of black massBlack mass with MSAMethanesulfonic Acid (MSA) had higher leachingLeaching efficiencies than H2SO4 for both Co and Ni. It achieved leachingLeaching efficiencies over 97% with 1.0 M MSAMethanesulfonic Acid (MSA) and 1.5 M H2O2 at 80 ℃. Activation energy of Co and Ni were 1.9 and 62 kJ/mol, which means different leachingLeaching mechanism by metalsMetals. Finally, conventional solvent extractionSolvent Extraction (SX) can be applicable to extract > 99% Co from Ni and Co methanesulfonate leachate by Cyanex 272. Meanwhile, the indigenous strain of Acidithiobacillus ferriphillus 9-P1 showed the highest leachingLeaching efficiency among all strains tested, achieving above 99% metalMetals leachingLeaching efficiency within 24 h. However, the leachingLeaching efficiencies of Li 82%, Ni 81%, Mn 83%, and Co 84% from NCM black massNCM black mass within 24 h indicated the possibility of toxic effects from the constituents of black massBlack mass. This study highlights the potential of alternative leachingLeaching systems on hydrometallurgical processesHydrometallurgical processes to enhance environmental sustainabilitySustainability.