Recycling process for lithium iron phosphate batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel recycling route for batteries used in the electronic equipment and automotive sectors. This invention focuses on batteries with lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) active material, of prismatic, cylindrical, and pouch types. The process comprises the following steps: discharging the batteries, disassembling and separating the battery components, grinding the battery cells, precipitating fluorine and lithium, acid leaching, separating iron by precipitation and ion exchange resin, precipitating aluminum, and precipitating the remaining lithium. The present invention incorporates an acid leaching step without the use of an oxidizing agent, which can achieve efficiency values ​​close to 99% for Li and Fe, and a mechanical processing step without any heat treatment to concentrate the metals of interest from the battery cathodes.