Atomized Nickel Particles for Fast Nickel Sulfate Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for secondary batteries poses challenges in obtaining nickel metals suitable for raw materials of positive electrode active materials, as traditional nickel sources like briquets have limited production and slow dissolution rates in acids, while pulverizing nickel cathodes introduces impurities.
Innovation Solution
A method involving melting a nickel source and atomizing the molten metal with gas or an aqueous medium to produce nickel particles with high purity and solubility in acids, followed by dissolving these particles in sulfuric acid to obtain nickel sulfate, which is then used to produce a positive electrode active material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional nickel sources like briquets are used, then production cost is reduced, but dissolution rate in acids is slow and production quantity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The nickel source is transformed from large briquets into fine particles through melting and atomization processes. This segmentation increases the surface area and dissolution rate while maintaining production scalability.
2Productivity
If nickel cathodes are pulverized to increase production, then production quantity increases, but impurities are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The nickel cathode undergoes phase transition from solid to liquid state through melting, then rapid cooling atomizes it into fine particles. This phase transition process separates the nickel from impurities present in the original cathode structure, achieving both high production quantity and high purity.
3Reliability
If nickel metal with high purity is dissolved in sulfuric acid, then nickel sulfate is obtained, but the process requires high solubility which traditional sources lack
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the nickel into fine particles through atomization, the surface area to volume ratio dramatically increases, enhancing solubility in sulfuric acid and thereby improving production efficiency of nickel sulfate.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables the production of high-purity nickel particles with enhanced solubility in acids, addressing the limitations of traditional nickel sources and facilitating efficient production of positive electrode active materials.
Implementation Method 1
a step of powdering molten nickel included in the molten metal by atomization in which gas or an aqueous medium is sprayed on the molten metal
Implementation Method 2
nickel particles produced by the above-mentioned production method are dissolved in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution to obtain nickel sulfate
Implementation Method 3
a step of obtaining a hydroxide containing nickel by crystallization using the nickel sulfate produced by the above-mentioned production method
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing nickel particles comprises the steps of: melting a nickel source to produce a melt; and powderizing molten nickel contained in the melt by an atomization method comprising atomizing a gas or an aqueous medium onto the melt, thereby producing nickel particles having purity of 90% or more. In the production process, it is also possible to melt a metal that is more likely to be oxidized than nickel together with the nickel source and then remove an oxide of the metal which is produced as the result of the melting.