Processing black mass derived from lithium ion battery materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to the recycling of used lithium ion batteries and provides a method for processing black mass derived from lithium ion battery materials.

Description

[0001] BASF SE B25.177P-WO 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein 14.01.2026 / lg / np / jl

[0002] Processing black mass derived from lithium ion battery materials

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to the recycling of used lithium ion batteries and provides a method for processing black mass derived from lithium ion battery materials.

[0005] Background

[0006] Lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP) is a novel battery cathode active material, which will be of relevance in future black mass feeds. Therefore, an effective recycling strategy is needed. A challenge for the recycling of LFMP is that the molar ratio of phosphate to iron in LFMP is less than 1:1, i.e., LFMP contains a molar excess of phosphate relative to iron, which may cause significant phosphate contamination of the pregnant leach solution produced by acid leaching of LFMP. Phosphate contamination can result in undesired formation of insoluble species downstream (e.g., LisPCU) and in losses of value metals. Phosphate also needs rigorous waste water treatment to prevent eutrophication of water bodies. More complex waste water treatment or more raw material consumption thus is required.

[0007] Summary of the invention

[0008] The present disclosure provides a process for treating materials derived from lithium ion batteries and comprising iron and phosphate in a molar ratio of less than 1:1, such as black mass derived from lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP) battery materials. The materials are leached with sulfuric acid and iron(iii) phosphate (FePCU) is precipitated from the reaction mixture. A phosphate scavenger comprising trivalent cations such as Fe3+and / or Al3+isadded during leaching or FePCU precipitation, so that phosphate is quantitatively precipitated from the reaction mixture.

[0009] It was found that oxidation prior to or during leaching allows for the selective dissolution of Mn, Li and Cu from the materials. Cu, Mn and impurities are then separated individually in only two to three unit operations to obtain a crude Li2SO4 stream. Using this process, LFP feeds containing LFMP can be processed more effectively, reducing phosphate contamination of the pregnant leach solution produced by acid leaching, and increasing overall value metal yield.

[0010] Detailed description

[0011] The present disclosure provides a process for treating materials derived from lithium ion batteries and comprising iron, aluminum and phosphate in a molar ratio (iron + aluminum) to phosphate of less than 1:1. In some embodiments, the molar ratio of (iron + aluminum) to phosphate in the materials is less than 0.9 to 1.0.

[0012] In the present disclosure, the term "materials derived from lithium ion batteries and comprising iron and phosphate" refers to materials derived from, for example, a lithium ion battery, lithium ion battery waste, lithium ion battery production scrap, lithium ion cell production scrap, lithium ion cathode active material, and / or combinations thereof by mechanical processes such as mechanical comminution. For example, they may be derived from battery scrap by mechanically treating the battery scrap to obtain the active components of the electrodes such as graphite and cathode active material and may include impurities from the casing, electrode foils, cables, separator, and electrolyte. In some examples, the battery scrap may be subjected to a heat treatment to pyrolyze organic (e.g., electrolyte) and polymeric (e.g., separator and binder) materials. Such a heat treatment may be performed before or after mechanical comminution of the battery material.Lithium ion batteries may be disassembled, after discharging and optionally drying them, punched, milled, for example in a hammer mill, and / or shredded, for example in an industrial shredder. From this kind of mechanical processing the active material of the battery electrodes may be obtained. A light fraction such as housing parts made from organic plastics and aluminum foil or copper foil may be removed, for example, in a forced stream of gas, air separation or classification.

[0013] Battery scraps may stem from, e.g., used batteries or from production waste such as off-spec material. In some embodiments a battery material is obtained from mechanically treated battery scraps, for example from battery scraps treated in a hammer mill or in an industrial shredder. Such material may have an average particle diameter (D50) ranging from 1 pm to 1 cm, such as from 1 pm to 500 pm, for example, from 3 to 250 pm.

[0014] Larger parts of the battery scrap like the housings, the wiring and the electrode carrier films may be separated mechanically such that the corresponding materials may be excluded from the battery material that is employed in the process.

[0015] Mechanically treated battery scrap may be subjected to a solvent treatment to dissolve and separate polymeric binders used to bind the transition metal oxides to current collector films, or, e.g., to bind graphite to current collector films. Suitable solvents are N-methylpyrrolidone, N,N-dimethyl-formamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-ethylpyrrolidone, and dimethylsulfoxide, in pure form, as mixtures of at least two of the foregoing, or as a mixture with 1 % to 99 % by weight of water.

[0016] Mechanically treated battery scrap may be subjected to a heat treatment in a wide range of temperatures under different atmospheres. The temperature range is usually in the range of 100°C to 900°C. Lower temperatures below 300°C may serve to evaporate residual solvents from the battery electrolyte, at higher temperatures the binder polymers may decompose while attemperatures above 400°C the composition of the inorganic materials may change as some transition metal oxides may become reduced either by the carbon contained in the scrap material or by introducing reductive gases. In some embodiments, a reduction of lithium metal oxides may be avoided by keeping the temperature below 400°C and / or by removing carbonaceous materials before the heat treatment.

[0017] The materials derived from lithium ion batteries and comprising iron and phosphate are derived from lithium ion batteries containing cathode active materials comprising iron and phosphate, such as lithium phosphate (LFP) or lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP). In some embodiments, the battery material comprises at least one chosen from lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP), lithium ion battery scrap comprising lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP), black mass derived from a lithium ion battery comprising lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP), and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the LFMP black mass has been roasted in air or lean air at a temperature in the range of from 400 to 600 °C, e.g., from 450 to 550 °C for 10 min to 120 min, for instance, 30 to 90 min.

[0018] In some embodiments, the materials comprise lithium iron manganese phosphate (LFMP). In some embodiments, the materials also comprise lithium iron phosphate (LFP). In further embodiments, the materials also comprise lithium phosphate. In other embodiments, the materials comprise LFP and lithium phosphate. Lithium phosphate is an unattractive product on the market but it is a typical product obtained when removing Li residuals from low concentration Li-streams, for instance, in waste water treatment of battery recycling streams. LisPCU is undesired in sulfate-based recycling streams, so that integration into those streams for more efficient recycling is hampered. LisPCU is leached quantitatively in the process of the present disclosure, allowing for converting LisPCU to Li2SO4.

[0019] The process of the present disclosure comprises leaching the materials with sulfuric acid. In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the materials to sulfuricacid is in the range of from 0.1 to 1.0, e.g., from 0.2 to 0.8. In some embodiments, the pH of the reaction mixture is in the range of from 0 to 3.5, e.g., from 1 to 3.

[0020] The process of the present disclosure further comprises precipitating iron (III) phosphate from the reaction mixture. In some embodiments, the materials in the reaction mixture are oxidized to precipitate iron (III) phosphate. In some embodiments, air is passed though the reaction mixture to oxidize the materials. In further embodiments, H2O2 is added to the reaction mixture to oxidize the materials. During oxidation, any iron(ll) present in the materials is oxidized to iron(lll). In the process of the present disclosure, formation of MnPCU does not take place.

[0021] In the process of the present disclosure, a phosphate scavenger comprising trivalent cations such as Fe3+and / or Al3+is added to the reaction mixture during leaching and / or precipitation to compensate the surplus of phosphate and quantitatively precipitate the phosphate present in the materials.

[0022] The phosphate scavenger is added to the reaction mixture in an amount to adjust the molar ratio of (iron + aluminum) to phosphate in the reaction mixture to a value in the range of from 1.0:1 to 1.2:1, e.g., from 1.0:1 to 1.1 to 1. The phosphate scavenger is added during leaching or precipitation.

[0023] In some embodiments, the phosphate scavenger comprises Fe3+and / or Al3+. In some embodiments, the phosphate scavenger comprises Fe3+and no Al3+. In some embodiments, the phosphate scavenger comprises a hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, and / or oxyfluoride. In some embodiments, the phosphate scavenger comprises a mixture of Fe(lll) and Al(lll) hydroxides, oxyhydroxides and / or oxyfluorides. In some embodiments, the phosphate scavenger further comprises lithium and / or nickel and / or cobalt. In some embodiments, the phosphate scavenger comprises from 0.01 to 2 wt.% lithium and from 0.01 to 10 wt.% nickel and from 0.01 to 5 wt.% cobalt.A filter cake obtained after precipitating impurities such as iron and aluminum from pregnant leach solutions obtained by acid leaching of lithium ion battery materials comprising nickel manganese cobalt oxides (NMC) may be used as phosphate scavenger. The filter cake contains significant amounts of Ni, Co and Li, which otherwise would be lost to the recycling and reduce its efficiency. In the process of the present disclosure, the value metals are digested and overall value metal yields are increased.

[0024] After iron(lll) phosphate has been precipitated, a liquid / solid separation, for instance, sedimentation or filtration, can be performed to separate the solids from the pregnant leach solution. After separation, a pregnant leach solution comprising residual concentrations of less than 0.5 wt.%, for instance, less than 0.3 wt.%, or even less than 0.1 wt.% iron and less than 0.7 wt.%, for instance, less than 0.4 wt.%, or even less than 0.2 wt.% phosphorus may be obtained. The pregnant leach solution comprises the value metals present in the starting materials, in particular lithium. When starting materials comprising LFMP have been used, the pregnant leach solution also comprises manganese. Any value metals comprised in the phosphate scavenger used, such as nickel, manganese, or cobalt, also are present in the pregnant leach solution. Nickel, manganese, and cobalt can be recovered from the pregnant leach solution by solvent extraction (SX) or precipitation, e.g., as hydroxides or carbonates. After removal of manganese, nickel, and / or cobalt, as the case may be, a lithium sulfate solution is obtained, from which lithium can be recovered by solvent extraction (SX) or precipitation.Examples

[0025] All percentages given refer to weight percent (wt.-%), unless indicated otherwise, "nd" signifies that the corresponding parameter was not determined.

[0026] Table 1 Elemental composition of feed materials as determined by ICP-OES.

[0027] Feed Li Fe Mn P Cu Al F Ni Co 1 3.3% 21.1% 1.2% 12.7% 3.9% 2.5% 2.0% 0.6% 0.3% 2 15.6% 0.0% 0.0% 20.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0% 3 1.6% 3.6% 1.3% 1.0% 0% 9.7% 4.0% 7.4% 1.9% 4 2.2% 13.7% 1.1% 8.3% 2.4% 1.9% 3.6% 0.5% 0.3% 5 4.7% 14.8% 21.5% 20.5% I I I I ! 6 2.9% 13.2% 7.9% 11.8% 1.6% 1.3% 2.4% 0.3% 0.2% 7 4.3% 13.4% 19.5% 18.6% I I I I / 8 1.3% 3.3% / / / 9.9% 5.1% 4.0% /

[0028] Example 1 (comparative)

[0029] 50 g of a LFP BM roasted under aerobic conditions (Feed 1) were suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.22. Then 50 wt.-%, based on the solid content, of sulfuric acid was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 3 h at 100°C. The reaction mixture was subsequently filtered and the solids were washed. 265.8 g Filtrate I and 46.7 g Solids A were obtained.

[0030] Example 2 (comparative)

[0031] 75 g of a LFP BM roasted under aerobic conditions (Feed 1) was suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.33. Then 50 wt.-%, based on the solid content, of acid was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 3 h at 100°C and under an airflow of 20 NL / h. The reaction mixture was subsequently filtered off and the solids were washed. 263.7 g Filtrate II and 44.0 g Solids B were obtained.

[0032] Example 3 (comparative)

[0033] 95 g of a LFP BM roasted under aerobic conditions (Feed 1) was suspended in DI water together with 5 g U3PO4 (Feed 2) obtained by precipitation from lithium-containing wastewater from a battery recycling stream with a S / L-ratio of 0.25. Then 60 wt.-%, based on the solid content, of acid was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 3 h at 95°C. The reaction mixture wassubsequently filtered and the solids were washed. 366.4 g Filtrate III and 91.1 g Solids C were obtained.

[0034] Table 2 Ni and Co content of filtrate and solid as determined by ICP-OES.

[0035] 0.12% 0.05% 0.11% 0.10% 0.00% 1.9%

[0036] Example 4 (comparative)

[0037] 95 g of a LFP BM roasted under aerobic conditions (Feed 1) was suspended in DI water together with 5 g U3PO4 (Feed 2) obtained by precipitation from lithium-containing wastewater from a battery recycling stream with a S / L-ratio of 0.25. Then 60 wt.-%, based on the solid content, of acid was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 3 h at 95°C and under an airflow of 15 NL / h. The reaction mixture was subsequently filtered and the solids were washed. 349.5 g Filtrate IV and 88.4 g Solids D were obtained.

[0038] Table 3 Ni and Co content of filtrate and solid as determined by ICP-OES.

[0039] 0.12% 0.05% 0.11% 0.10% 0.00% 1.9%

[0040] Example 5

[0041] 95 g of a LFP BM roasted under aerobic conditions (Feed 1) was suspended in DI water together with 5 g U3PO4 (Feed 2) obtained by precipitation from lithium-containing wastewater from a battery recycling stream and 61.4 g of a moist filter cake (Feed 3) obtained by impurity precipitation from a battery recycling stream with a S / L-ratio of 0.25. Then 58 wt.-%, based on the solid content, of acid was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 3 h at 95°C and under an airflow of 15 NL / h. The reaction mixture was subsequently filtered and the solids were washed. 297.9 g Filtrate V and 75.8 g Solids E were obtained.

[0042] Table 4 Ni and Co content of filtrate and solid as determined by ICP-OES.

[0043] 0.34% 0.11% 0.35%0.09% 0.00% 2.0%

[0044] Table 5 Elemental composition of the filtrates as determined by ICP-OES Filtrate Li Fe P

[0045]

[0046] II 0.69% 0.08% 0.17%

[0047] III 0.66% 0.17% 0.22%

[0048] IV 0.66% 0.07% 0.23%

[0049] V 0.65% 0.09% 0.15%

[0050] Table 6 Elemental composition of the solids as determined by ICP-OES Solids Li Fe P

[0051] A 0.44% 20.30% 12.80%

[0052] B 0.48% 25.00% 14.40%

[0053] C 0.42% 17.30% 11.20%

[0054] D 0.44% 18.00% 11.20%

[0055] E 0.40% 17.60% 11.20%

[0056] Table 7 Recovery of elements in the filtrate

[0057] Example Li Fe P

[0058] 1 87.5% 8.1% 6.7%

[0059] 2 91.5% 1.3% 4.7%

[0060] 3 90.2% 4.0% 7.9%

[0061] 4 90.1% 1.8% 9.2%

[0062] 5 92.7% 1.8% 4.6%

[0063] The results of Example 5 and Comparative Examples 1-4 show that U3PO4 is quantitatively leached. The content of phosphorus in the filtrate is increased when no phosphate scavenging reagent is added. Aeration reduces the iron concentration in the filtrate. Content of phosphate in the filtrate is effectively reduced with addition of scavenger. Ni and Co present in the scavenger are quantitatively leached.Example 6 (comparative)

[0064] 75.7 g of a LFP battery black mass (Feed 4) was suspended in water with a S / L-ratio of 0.2 and subsequently treated with H2SO4 in a ratio of 0.2 by weight, relative to the solids feed. After that, the reaction mixture was heated to 80 °C and stirred for 1 h. Then, a solution of 30 wt.-% H2O2 in DI water, equal to 1.65 times the molar content of Fe and Cu, was added to the reaction within 20 min. After stirring for another 2 h, aeration with 30 NL / h was started, and stirring was continued for 1 h. The suspension then was filtered, and the solids were washed and dried. 347.8 g Filtrate VI and 65.5 g Solids F were obtained.

[0065] Example 7 (comparative)

[0066] 20 g of a LFP battery black mass roasted under air at 500 °C for 2 h (Feed 1 ) was suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.23 and subsequently treated with H2SO4 in a ratio of 0.5 by weight, relative to the solids feed. Then the reaction mixture was heated to 100 °C and was stirred for 3 h. After that, the suspension was filtered, and the solids were washed and dried. 124.0 g Filtrate VII and 17.6 g Solids G were obtained.

[0067] Example 8 (comparative)

[0068] 20 g of a LiFeo.36Mno.64P04 CAM material roasted under air at 500°C for 2 h (Feed 5) was suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.25 and subsequently treated with H2SO4 in a ratio of 0.5 by weight, relative to the solids feed. Then the reaction mixture was heated to 100°C and was stirred for 2 h. After that, the suspension was filtered, and the solids were washed and dried. 84.0 g Filtrate VIII and 16.1 g Solids H were obtained.

[0069] Example 9

[0070] Leaching

[0071] 50.9 g of a LiFeo.36Mno.64P04 CAM material (Feed 7) was suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.12 and subsequently treated with H2SO4 in a ratio of 0.7 by weight, relative to the solids feed. Then the reaction mixture was heated to 80°C and was stirred for 1 h, whereafter 1.45 mols H2O2 per mol Fe were addedwithin 20 min. Stirring was continued for 100 min, then aeration with 60 NL / h per kg of reaction mixture was started and the reaction mixture was stirred for another 60 min. After that, the suspension was filtered and the solids were washed and dried. 341.5 g Filtrate IX and 27.0 g Solids I were obtained.

[0072] Phosphate Scavenging

[0073] 294 g of the filtrate obtained was heated to 80 °C and within 1 h was treated with a moist filter cake obtained by impurity precipitation from a battery recycling stream (Feed 8) in a 1:1 -molar ratio of (Al + Fe):P. The reaction mixture was stirred for another 3 h, then filtered, and the solids were washed and dried.

[0074] 246.1 g Filtrate X and 28.8 g Solids J were obtained.

[0075] MnCOs-Precipitation

[0076] 217 g of the filtrate obtained was heated to 60 °C and within 1.5 h the pH was elevated to 8.1 using Na2CO3. Subsequently the reaction mixture was stirred for 1 h, then filtered, and the solids were washed and dried. 240 g Filtrate XI and 8.4 g Solids K were obtained.Table 8 Elemental composition of the filtrates as determined by ICP-OES.

[0077] Filtrate Li Fe P Mn Al Ni Co

[0078] VI 0.34% 0.16% 0.13% nd / / /

[0079] VII 0.32% 0.03% 0.05% 0.03% / / / VIII 0.76% 0.03% 1.7% 3.0% / / /

[0080] IX 0.46% 0% 1.1% 2.1% 0% 0% 0%

[0081] X 0% 0.052% 1.6% 0.012% 0.3% 0.15% XI* 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

[0082] Table 9 Elemental composition of the solids as determined by ICP-OES.

[0083] Solids Li Fe P Mn Al Ni Co

[0084] F 0.25% 16.2% 10.3% nd / / /

[0085] G 0.09% 11.5% 7.6% 0.06% / / /

[0086] H 1.3% 15.6% 14.4% 8.6% / / /

[0087] I 0.07% 24.5% 15.1% 1.2% 0% 0% 0%

[0088] J 0.3% 3.9% 13.3% 3.5% 11.2% 1.4% 0.4%

[0089] K 0% 1.0% 36% 0.24% 6.8% 3.2%

[0090] Table 10 Recovery of elements in the filtrate

[0091] Example Li Fe P Mn Al Ni Co 6 90.8% 6.3% 8.1% nd / / /

[0092] 7 96.3% 0.9% 2.5% 78.4% / / /

[0093] 8 75.7% 6.3% 37.7% 64.5% / / /

[0094] 9 (Leaching) 99.1% 0.0% 53.1% 96.7% / / /

[0095] 9 (PO4-SCV.) 95% 0% 4% 60% 1% 66% 88% 9 (MnCO3) 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

[0096] Example 10 (comparative)

[0097] Leaching

[0098] 120.8 g of a mixed LFP and LiFeo.36Mno.64P04 material (Feed 6) was suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.2 and subsequently treated with H2SO4 in a ratio of 0.66 by weight, relative to the solids feed. Then the reaction mixture was heated to 90 °C and was stirred for 3 h. After that, the suspension was filtered,and the solids were washed and dried. 535.7 g Filtrate XII and 56.0 g Solids L were obtained.

[0099] Cu-Separation

[0100] 505.5 g of the filtrate obtained first was heated to 85 °C and then 1.13 mols of Na2S20s per mol of Cu were added into the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was stirred for 2 h, the suspension was filtered and the solids were washed and dried. 506.5 g Filtrate XIII and 2.9 g Solids M were obtained.

[0101] Impurity Precipitation

[0102] 477.9 g of the filtrate obtained first was heated to 80 °C and then aeration with 45 NL / h airflow was started. The pH was adjusted to 2.5 using Na2COs and the reaction mixture was stirred for 4 h. After that, the suspension was filtered and the solids were washed and dried. 220.6 g Filtrate XIV and 37.8 g Solids N were obtained.

[0103] Table 11 Elemental composition of the filtrates as determined by ICP-OES Filtrate Li Fe Mn P Cu XII 0.45% 1.93% 1.19% 1.70% 0.24% XIII 0.44% 1.80% 1.16% 1.70% nd XIV 0.33% 0.23% 0.67% 0.30% 0.00%

[0104] Table 12 Elemental composition of the solids as determined by ICP-OES Solids Li Fe Mn P Cu L 0.62% 4.60% 1.80% 4.10% 0.55% M 0.03% 9.20% 0.12% 5.80% 40% N 0.31% 18.10% 3.90% 15.60% < 0.01%Table 13 Recovery of elements in the filtrate

[0105] Procedure Li Fe Mn P Cu Leaching 90.1% 83.8% 89.4% 83.9% 84.0% Cu-Sep. 100.0% 97.3% 99.9% 98.0% 4.4% Imp-PPT 94.4% 20.5% 73.4% 27.4% 0.0%

[0106] Example 11 (comparative)

[0107] Leaching

[0108] 100.2 g of a LiFeo.36Mno.64P04 CAM material (Feed 7) was suspended in DI water with a S / L-ratio of 0.17 and subsequently treated with H2SO4 in a ratio of 0.93 by weight, relative to the solids feed. Then the reaction mixture was heated to 90°C and was stirred for 3 h. After that, the suspension was filtered and the solids were washed and dried. 689.7 g Filtrate XV and 13.6 g Solids O were obtained.

[0109] Impurity Precipitation

[0110] 599.5 g of the filtrate obtained was first heated to 80°C and then aeration with 45 NL / h airflow was started. The pH was adjusted to 2.4 using Na2C0s and the reaction mixture was stirred for 4 h. After that, the suspension was filtered, and the solids were washed and dried. 269.9 g Filtrate XVI and 98.1 g Solids P were obtained.

[0111] Table 14 Elemental composition of the filtrates as determined by ICP-OES. Filtrate Li Fe Mn P

[0112] XV 0.54% 1.70% 2.50% 2.40%

[0113] XVI 0.42% 0.37% 1.40% 0.96%

[0114] Table 15 Elemental composition of the solids as determined by ICP-OES.

[0115] Solids Li Fe Mn P

[0116] O 0.98% 3.30% 4.70% 5.20%

[0117] P 0.34% 7.80% 5.10% 7.90%Table 16 Recovery of elements in the filtrate

[0118] Procedure Li Fe Mn P

[0119] Leaching 96.9% 96.7% 96.7% 96.2%

[0120] Imp-PPT 89.7% 24.9% 66.6% 46.1%

[0121] Comparison of normal oxidative workup approaches for black mass obtained from batteries comprising LFP and black mass obtained from batteries comprising LFMP, respectively, shows increased phosphate levels in the filtrate of LFMP black mass. This phosphate cannot be easily precipitated at low pH levels. The examples show that the addition of phosphate scavenger effectively reduces phosphate concentration in the filtrate, and manganese can subsequently be recovered from the filtrate.

Claims

BASF SE B25.177P-WO 67056 Ludwigshafen am Rhein 14.01.2026 / lg / np / jlClaims1. A process for treating materials derived from lithium ion batteries and comprising iron, aluminum and phosphate in a molar ratio of (iron + aluminum) to phosphate of less than 1:1, comprising leaching the materials with sulfuric acid and precipitating iron (III) phosphate from the reaction mixture, wherein a phosphate scavenger comprising Fe3+and / or Al3+is added to the reaction mixture during leaching and / or precipitation in an amount to adjust the molar ratio of (iron + aluminum) to phosphate in the reaction mixture to a value in the range of from 1.0:1 to 1.2: 1.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the phosphate scavenger comprises a hydroxide, oxyhydroxide, and / or oxyfluoride.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the phosphate scavenger further comprises lithium and / or nickel and / or cobalt.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the phosphate scavenger comprises from 0.01 to 2 wt.% lithium and from 0.01 to 10 wt.% nickel and from 0.01 to 5 wt.% cobalt.

5. The process of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the materials in the reaction mixture are oxidized to precipitate iron (III) phosphate.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein air is passed though the reaction mixture to oxidize the materials.

7. The process of claim 5 or 6, wherein H2O2 is added to the reaction mixture to oxidize the materials.

8. The process of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the weight ratio of the materials to sulfuric acid is in the range of from 0.1 to 1.0.

9. The process of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the pH of the reaction mixture is in the range of from 0 to 3.5.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the pH of the reaction mixture is in the range of from 1 to 3.

11. The process of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the materials derived from lithium ion batteries comprise LFMP.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the materials derived from lithium ion batteries also comprise LFP.

13. The process of claims 11 or 12, wherein the materials derived from lithium ion batteries also comprise lithium phosphate.

14. The process of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the materials derived from lithium ion batteries comprise LFP and lithium phosphate.

15. The process of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the materials derived from lithium ion batteries comprise iron, aluminum, and phosphate in a molar ratio of (iron + aluminum) to phosphate of less than 0.9:1.

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