Water-aerosol-assisted roasting for selective lithium extraction from spent lithium-ion batteries

• Published in: Separation and purification technology 2025-05, Vol.357, p.130125, Article 130125
• Main Authors: Zeng, Haibin, Li, Yan, Chen, Ziyu, Li, Chengzong, Du, Chengming, Zhao, Zhao, Tai, Hengjun, Li, Tao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cathode regeneration; Chlorination roasting; end-of-life LIBs; Selective lithium recovery; Water-aerosol
• ISSN: 1383-5866
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2024.130125

[Display omitted] •Water-aerosol-assisted roasting for selective lithium extraction from spent LIBs.•Water-aerosol boosts CoCl2 pyrolysis, cuts roasting time by 8x vs. air roasting.•A water-leaching process selectively extracts 99.1% Li (vs. 0.2% Co).•The method utilizes no strong acids or bases and eliminates wastewater production.•The approach establishes a closed-loop for Li, TM, N, Cl recycling. Selective extraction of lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) represents a promising solution for efficient lithium recovery. Herein, a water-aerosol-assisted roasting technology is proposed to selectively extract lithium from spent lithium transition metal oxides (LTMOs) cathodes. In an exemplary recycling of spent LiCoO2, the cathode material undergoes a low-temperature (350°C) chlorinating roast process to convert it into metal chlorides, followed by a higher-temperature (500°C) roasting to facilitate the selective pyrolysis of CoCl2. The presence of water-aerosol significantly enhances the selective pyrolysis process of CoCl2, reducing roasting time eightfold compared to conventional air roasting. Subsequent water-leaching effectively extracts 99.1 % of lithium as LiCl, while only 0.2 % of cobalt is extracted, ensuring selective lithium recovery. The resulting high-purity LiCl solution and Co3O4 residue are directly utilizable for producing battery-grade Li2CO3 and LiCoO2, respectively. Regenerated LiCoO2 demonstrates excellent cycling stability, retaining 90.5 % of its capacity after 300 cycles at 1C rate. Moreover, this method is applicable to ternary cathodes (NCM) black mass, offering a sustainable, robust, and cost-effective approach for lithium extraction from spent LIBs.