Cathode Material Recycling via Chlorination and Carbonate Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recycling of positive electrode materials from secondary batteries is hindered by the difficulty in safely separating and recovering metals like nickel, cobalt, aluminum, and manganese due to their similar chemical properties, leading to inefficient separation processes and additional purification requirements, which increase costs and generate acid waste.
Innovation Solution
A method involving chlorination of the positive electrode material with chlorine gas to form a mixture, followed by solvent treatment and reaction with carbonate to separate lithium carbonate, allowing for the selective recovery of lithium and other metals without additional purification steps and acid waste generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If strong acid solution is used to dissolve positive electrode material for separation, then metal materials can be separated, but additional purification processes are required and acid waste is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter from strong acid dissolution to alkaline solution dissolution, fundamentally altering the separation mechanism. This allows for selective dissolution of aluminum while leaving other metals intact, eliminating the need for multiple purification steps and acid waste treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates aluminum from the positive electrode material using selective alkaline dissolution. By targeting only aluminum for removal through controlled chemical reaction, the process simplifies the overall separation workflow and eliminates acid waste generation
2Manufacturing precision
If additional purification processes are implemented to separate metals into pure substances, then separation efficiency improves, but process complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-service mechanism where the alkaline solution automatically selectively dissolves aluminum while other metals remain undissolved. This self-selective process eliminates the need for complex additional purification steps, achieving both high separation efficiency and process simplicity
3Productivity
If strong acid dissolution method is used, then positive electrode material can be processed, but acid waste is generated and environmental burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful strong acid dissolution process into a beneficial alkaline dissolution process. By using alkaline solutions that selectively dissolve aluminum, the method maintains high recycling efficiency while eliminating acid waste generation, effectively converting a harmful process into a beneficial one
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 method enables efficient and cost-effective recycling of positive electrode materials by simplifying the process, omitting the need for additional purification and acid use, thereby improving separation efficiency and reducing economic and environmental burdens.
Implementation Method 1
forming a first mixture by chlorinating a positive electrode material including LMOx separated from a battery with a gas including chlorine
Implementation Method 2
contacting the first mixture with a solvent to separate MOx and forming a second mixture including the solvent
Implementation Method 3
separating MCO3 by reacting the second mixture with carbonate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for recycling a positive electrode material for secondary batteries that can not only safely separate positive electrode materials included in waste batteries without by-products such as acid waste and the like, but also recycle the rapidly increasing amount of waste batteries through a simple and efficient process, thereby significantly reducing social and economic costs.