Recycling of LiMO2 cathode materials by a chlorination-based Li extraction technique

• Published in: The Korean journal of chemical engineering Vol. 39; no. 10; pp. 2594 - 2599
• Main Authors: Jeon, Min Ku, Kim, Sung-Wook, Kim, Hyungsub, Kim, Kyoung Sun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2022; Springer Nature B.V; 한국화학공학회
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Catalysis; Cathodes; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chlorination; Electrochemical analysis; Electrode materials; Filtration; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Lithium-ion batteries; Materials Science; Rapid Communication; Rechargeable batteries; Recycling; Synthesis; Transition metal oxides; Washing; 화학공학; Li-ion Battery; Chlorination; Cathode Material; Re-synthesis; Recycle
• ISSN: 0256-1115; 1975-7220
• DOI: 10.1007/s11814-022-1232-y

The recycling of Li(Ni 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 )O 2 (NCM) and LiCoO 2 (LCO), which are cathode materials for Li-ion batteries, was demonstrated via a chlorination-based Li extraction technique. The recycling process follows a chlorination - washing/filtering - drying - mixing - re-synthesis process. Around 86% of Li was removed through the chlorination - washing/filtering steps. The resulting transition metal oxide powder was dried and then mixed with Li 2 CO 3 , a Li precursor. Re-synthesis experiments were conducted at 900 °C for 24 h and the weight of the final products was 88.5 and 88.0 wt% of their input amounts in NCM and LCO, respectively. Structural changes were analyzed by X-ray diffraction to confirm the absence of impurity phases in the re-synthesized specimens. Electrochemical evaluation revealed that the re-synthesized NCM and LCO exhibit corresponding initial specific capacities of 157 and 153 mAh/g.