Study of the Carbochlorination Process with CaCl2 andWater Leaching for the Extraction of Lithium from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

YARIVITH CAROLINA GONZALEZ PEÑA; LORENA ALCARAZ ROMO; FRANCISCO J. ALGUACIL; JORGE A. GONZALEZ; LUCÍA I. BARBOSA; FÉLIX A. LÓPEZ

Batteries

MDPI

Lugar: Basilea; Año: 2022 vol. 9

2313-0105

The abundant use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in a wide variety of electric devices andvehicles will generate a large number of depleted batteries, which contain several valuable metals,such as Li, Co, Mn, and Ni, present in the structure of the cathode material (LiMO2). The presentwork investigates the extraction of lithium, as lithium chloride, from spent LIBs by carbochlorinationroasting. The starting samples consisted of a mixture of cathode and anode materials from differentspent LIBs known as black mass. Calcium chloride was used as a chlorinating agent, and carbonblack was used as a reducing agent. The black mass, calcium chloride, and carbon black were mixedin 50:20:30 w/w % proportions. Non-isothermal thermogravimetric tests up to 850 C and isothermaltests at 350, 500, and 700 C were carried out in an inert atmosphere. It was observed that thecarbochlorination reaction starts at 500 C. An extraction percentage of 99% was attained throughcarbochlorination at 700 C. The characterization results indicate that CaCO3, Ni, and Co and, to alesser extent, CoO, NiO, and MnO2 are present in the roasted sample after the processes of washing,filtering, and drying.