Novel targetedly extracting lithium: An environmental-friendly controlled chlorinating technology and mechanism of spent lithium ion batteries recovery

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2021-02, Vol.404, p.123947-123947, Article 123947
• Main Authors: Xiao, Jiefeng, Niu, Bo, Song, Qingming, Zhan, Lu, Xu, Zhenming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chlorination conversion; Extracting driving force; Spent lithium ion batteries; Targeted extraction
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123947

A targeted extraction technology for recycling lithium from spent lithium transition metal oxides (LTMO) type batteries is developed in this paper. The chlorinating technology with ammonium chloride as the only additive is employed and controlled to selectively extract lithium. High lithium extraction rate with a low selectivity was first obtained at non-controlled chlorinating conditions. During this process, it was found that the reducing driving force (RDF) played a vital role in metals extraction. Once RDF was controlled at a low level, lithium elements could be targetedly extracted out while other metal elements still remained in the residues. The results showed that 91.73% lithium elements were leached out with a selectivity of 90.04% at the optimal conditions. Further, the mechanism was proposed to explain the release behavior of metals from cathode materials from the perspective of extracting driving force. These principles also offer inspiration for metal selective extraction fields such as metallurgy and recovery of complex systems including multiple metals. [Display omitted] •Chlorination conversion is controlled to realized the targeted extraction of lithium. •Metal release behavior is studied from the perspective of extracting driving force. •High Li recovery and selectivity rate is gained by controlled chlorination technology.