H2O-balance-regulated cation–anion competitive coordination for selective elements extraction from spent lithium-ion batteries
Mingqiang Cheng,
Yixin Hua,
Qibo Zhang,
Qihao Li,
Hongda Li,
Ding Wang,
Xianshu Wang,
Yun Zhao,
Juanjian Ru,
Baohua Li
Affiliations
Mingqiang Cheng
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Yixin Hua
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Qibo Zhang
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Qihao Li
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Hongda Li
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Ding Wang
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China; Corresponding authors.
Xianshu Wang
Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
Yun Zhao
Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
Juanjian Ru
Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, State Key Lab of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China; Corresponding authors.
Baohua Li
Institute of Materials Research, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China; Corresponding authors.
Key resources necessary for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will deplete rapidly if recycling is not considered given the significant demand for LIBs. However, the current recovery method from spent LIBs is hindered by low efficiency, high energy consumption, and severe environmental issues, which curtail the sustainability of recycling industry. Here, we propose a new strategy for selective elements extraction from LiCoO2 based on H2O-balance-regulated cation–anion competitive coordination. The lithium can be preferentially precipitated in deep eutectic solvents (DES) with an appropriate amount of H2O. Such a preferential lithium behaviors contributes to the subsequent precise separation of transition metal elements by further adjusting the water content, thus enabling the recovery of all element and direct regeneration of DES for further spent LIB recycling. The developed DES-based technology can achieve the ultrahigh leaching efficiency of 99.99% for Li and Co with an acceptable recovery efficiency of Li and Co (≥91.23%) and a desirable purity of recycled Li2C2O4 and CoC2O4·2H2O (≥98.43%). These Li and Co performances are still maintained at this level even after three-time regeneration of DES. This methodology can also be extended to other recycling chemistries of spent LIBs and lay the theoretical foundation for the recovery of valuable metals from spent battery materials using DESs with a simple process, low energy consumption, and waste-free recycling.
