Maximizing resource recovery: A green and economic strategy for lithium extraction from spent ternary batteries

Jiacheng Hao; Jiayu Hao; Dongfu Liu; Lihua He; Xuheng Liu; Zhongwei Zhao; Tianyu Zhao; Wenhua Xu

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134472

Maximizing resource recovery: A green and economic strategy for lithium extraction from spent ternary batteries

J Hazard Mater. 2024 Apr 28:472:134472. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134472. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jiacheng Hao¹, Jiayu Hao², Dongfu Liu³, Lihua He¹, Xuheng Liu¹, Zhongwei Zhao⁴, Tianyu Zhao⁵, Wenhua Xu⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
² Zhongyuan Critical Metals Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
³ Zhongyuan Critical Metals Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; The Key Lab of Critical Metals Minerals Supernormal Enrichment and Extraction, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
⁴ School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; Zhongyuan Critical Metals Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; The Key Lab of Critical Metals Minerals Supernormal Enrichment and Extraction, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
⁵ The Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining, Queen's University, 25 Union Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L3N6, Canada.
⁶ Zhongyuan Critical Metals Laboratory, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; The Key Lab of Critical Metals Minerals Supernormal Enrichment and Extraction, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou 450001, China. Electronic address: xuwenhua@zzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38696964
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134472

Abstract

Spent ternary lithium-ion batteries contain abundant lithium resource, and their proper disposal is conducive to environmental protection and the comprehensive utilization of resources. Separating valuable metals in the ternary leaching solution is the key to ensuring resource recovery. However, the traditional post-lithium extraction strategies, which heavily rely on ion exchange to remove transition metal ions in the leachate, encounter challenges in achieving satisfactory lithium yields and purities. Based on this, this paper proposed a new strategy to prioritize lithium extraction from ternary leachate using "(+) LiFePO₄/FePO₄ (-)" lithium extraction system. The preferential recovery of lithium can be realized by controlling the potential over 0.1 V versus Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE) without introducing any impurity ions. The lithium recovery rate reaches 98.91%, while the rejection rate of transition ions exceeds 99%, and the separation coefficients of lithium to transition metal ions can reach 126. Notably, the resulting lithium-rich liquid can directly prepare lithium carbonate with a purity of 99.36%. It provides a green and efficient strategy for the preferential recovery of lithium from the spent ternary leachate.

Keywords: Electrochemical lithium extraction system; LiFePO(4); Selective lithium extraction; Spent ternary leachate.