Battery Active Material Recovery Using Ferric-Ferrous Leaching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for recovering metals from spent lithium-ion and metal hydride batteries are inefficient and environmentally harmful due to the use of significant amounts of acid and generating hazardous gases, and the insolubility of cathode materials poses challenges in leaching metals effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method using an electrochemical cell with an anode, cathode, and membrane, employing an electrolyte with ferric and ferrous ions to dissolve metals like lithium and cobalt, and a renewable acid generated by bacteria, allowing for selective recovery of metals without the need for excessive reducing agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional hydrometallurgical methods using strong acids are used to leach metals from spent batteries, then metal recovery can be achieved, but significant amounts of acid are consumed and hazardous gases are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the leaching system by using ferric/ferrous ion redox couples instead of strong mineral acids, and employs organic acids with controlled pH levels. This parameter change enables effective metal dissolution while avoiding the generation of hazardous gases and excessive acid consumption associated with conventional strong acid leaching methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the typically harmful strong acid leaching process into a beneficial selective dissolution process by using ferric ions as the leaching agent. The ferric ions selectively dissolve metal oxides and hydroxides from cathode materials without generating hazardous gases, and the resulting ferrous ions can be regenerated back to ferric ions, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates acid waste
2Quantity of substance
If pyrometallurgical smelting methods are used to recover metals from spent batteries, then metal alloys can be obtained, but harmful gases are emitted during the smelting process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-temperature thermal/mechanical smelting process with a chemical electrochemical leaching process. Instead of using furnaces and high temperatures to melt and separate metals, the invention uses ferric ion chemistry and electrochemical cells to selectively dissolve and recover metals at ambient or moderate temperatures, thereby eliminating the harmful gas emissions associated with pyrometallurgical smelting
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 achieves efficient metal recovery with reduced environmental impact by regenerating ferrous ions and using organic acids, minimizing waste and hazardous emissions, and enabling selective separation of metals.
Implementation Method 1
a method of recovering active materials from a rechargeable battery comprises placing an active material of a rechargeable battery in a cathode chamber comprising a cathode of an electrochemical cell
Implementation Method 2
contacting the active material in the cathode chamber with an electrolyte comprising an acid, ferric ions, and ferrous ions
Implementation Method 3
an anode chamber comprising an anode, and a membrane separating the cathode chamber from the anode chamber
Implementation Method 4
a renewable acid generated by bacteria
Data Source
AI summary
A method of recovering active materials from a rechargeable battery comprises placing an active material of a rechargeable battery in a cathode chamber comprising a cathode of an electrochemical cell comprising the cathode chamber, an anode chamber comprising an anode, and a membrane separating the cathode chamber from the anode chamber, contacting the active material in the cathode chamber with an electrolyte comprising an acid, ferric ions, and ferrous ions, and dissolving at least one of lithium and cobalt from the active material into the electrolyte. Related apparatuses for recovering metals from active materials of rechargeable batteries are also disclosed.