Lithium-Ion Black Mass Copper Recovery by Nickel Cementation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recovering metals from lithium-ion battery black mass, particularly copper, are inefficient and costly due to the complexity of the hydrometallurgical separation process, leading to impurities in the metal products and high investment requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving leaching and cementation using nickel as a reducing agent to selectively recover copper from the black mass, avoiding the contamination of the leach solution with additional chemicals and allowing for the subsequent recovery of other metals like lithium and nickel in high purity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If solvent extraction is used to recover copper, then copper recovery is achieved, but the process becomes complex and requires excess chemicals and significant investment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts copper from the leach solution using a selective scavenger material that specifically binds copper ions, separating them from other metal ions. This extraction approach achieves effective copper recovery without the complex multi-step solvent extraction process, reducing chemical usage and process complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a selective scavenger material as an intermediary substance that mediates between the copper-containing leach solution and the final copper product. This scavenger selectively binds copper ions, enabling simple filtration and separation, thereby avoiding the complexity of solvent extraction and electrowinning processes
2Reliability
If solvent extraction is used to recover copper, then copper recovery is achieved, but investment requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable or regenerable selective scavenger material that can be used to remove copper from the leach solution. This approach replaces expensive solvent extraction systems and electrowinning infrastructure with a simpler, more cost-effective material-based solution, significantly reducing investment requirements while maintaining effective copper recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the leach solution by controlling pH and other conditions to optimize the selectivity of the scavenger material for copper binding. This parameter optimization enables effective copper recovery using simple filtration rather than expensive solvent extraction equipment, reducing investment requirements
3Manufacturing precision
If copper cementation is used, then higher purity metal products are achieved, but copper recovery from complex metal mixtures has not been used to significant degree
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a selectively designed scavenger material that has specific binding sites tailored to interact with copper ions while being indifferent to other metal ions in the complex mixture. This localized selectivity at the molecular level enables high-purity copper recovery from complex battery black mass leach solutions, overcoming the limitation of traditional cementation methods
4Productivity
If conventional hydrometallurgical separation is used, then metal recovery is achieved, but impurities remain in the metal products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes color changes as an indicator of copper binding to the scavenger material, allowing for visual monitoring and control of the purification process. This enables optimization of recovery efficiency while ensuring high product purity through controlled selectivity, addressing both productivity and manufacturing precision requirements
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
This process simplifies the recovery of copper and other metals from lithium-ion battery black mass, achieving high-purity metal products with reduced chemical usage and operational costs, making it a more cost-effective and efficient alternative to solvent extraction followed by electrowinning.
Implementation Method 1
The copper recovery step including a copper cementation using nickel as reducing agent
Implementation Method 2
a copper cementation using nickel as reducing agent
Implementation Method 3
proceeding via the solubilisation of the desired metals of the black mass, followed by the recovery of such solubilised metal fractions
Data Source
AI summary
A method for extracting metals from the black mass of lithium-ion batteries, the black mass containing the anode and cathode materials of the batteries as well as some copper, and the cathode material comprising lithium and nickel. The method of extracting metals carried out by an arrangement that is suitable for use in the method.