Recovery of Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese and Graphite from Spent/Used/Discarded Lithium-ion Batteries of mixed chemistries

>96-99.9% multiple variant pure salts of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese as per battery grade specifications. For generic value, an estimate of 100kg of spent laptop LIBs gives 25kg electrode material, from which 5.7 kg Cobalt sulfate, 0.69 kg Lithium Hydroxide, 0.51 kg Nickel Carbonate, 5.4 kg Manganese Carbonate, 0.5 kg Alumina Powder and 12 kg graphite powder can be separated.

With acid leaching using 20-30% solids, 94-96% Li, Co, Ni, and Mn, was extracted. The leach liquor was subjected to selective sequential multi-stage solvent extraction and precipitation route to extract >96-99.9% multiple variant pure salts of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese. High pure graphite is a derivative product of the process. The process enables the recovery of acid and reagents. 

• Complete separation among Li, Ni, Co, and Mn
• Chemistry of Batteries Tested: LCO, LCA, LMO, NMC, NCA
• 96-99.9% pure multiple variant salts as products
• No impurity of Fe, Al, and Cu in any critical metal product
• Aluminum, Copper: 99% recovery
• Total recycling of reagents with 85% recovery of acid
• Residual carbon is converted to High Pure Graphite
• Easily replicable on a large scale
• Easily replicable on a large scale

Technology can extract critical elements like Lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel apart from manganese as salts in the most desired marketable form, with holistic recycling to result in reusable graphite