Cathode Material Production via Wet Chemical Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial methods for producing cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries generate undesirable effluents and require significant water evaporation and organic decomposition during high-temperature treatments, which are environmentally harmful and costly.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a wet chemical precursor preparation step and a solid-state lithiation step, where metals are added to an agitated aqueous solution under alkaline conditions, with oxidants and nitric acid, allowing for the recycling of the entire liquid portion without treatment and minimizing effluent generation, and producing lithium mixed metal oxides with minimal by-products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If incumbent industrial methods are used to produce cathode materials, then cathode materials can be produced, but undesirable effluent is generated and water evaporation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the reaction system by using a basic medium (pH > 7) instead of acidic conditions, and by controlling the oxidation potential through specific oxidant selection. This parameter change transforms the chemical reactions to produce fewer harmful byproducts and enables liquid recycling without significant treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements liquid recycling where the liquid portion from the reaction is recovered and reused in subsequent reactions. This recovering principle eliminates the need for water evaporation and reduces effluent generation, as the liquid medium is continuously circulated and reused throughout the production process
2Ease of manufacture
If incumbent industrial methods are used to produce cathode materials, then cathode materials can be produced, but water evaporation and organic decomposition are required during high-temperature treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using basic media and controlling oxidation potentials, which transforms the reaction pathways to eliminate organic byproducts. This eliminates the need for high-temperature organic decomposition and reduces water evaporation requirements, significantly lowering energy consumption in the stationary processing stage
3Ease of manufacture
If mixed metal sulphates are dissolved in water to form aqueous solution, then precursor can be produced, but undesirable effluent is released
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pH parameter to basic conditions (pH > 7) and controls the oxidation potential through specific oxidant selection. This transforms the chemical reactions so that metal salts react to form precipitates in a basic medium, and the liquid phase can be recycled without producing undesirable effluent, thereby eliminating harmful releases while maintaining precursor production
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 process significantly reduces effluent generation, allows for complete liquid recycling, and eliminates the need for water evaporation and organic decomposition, resulting in a more sustainable and cost-effective production of high-quality cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.
Implementation Method 1
adding an oxidant and a second metal to the reaction solution, wherein the product solution comprises a cathode active material precursor
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a method for the production of high capacity cathode materials for use in rechargeable lithium batteries. Traditional methods for producing lithium mixed metal oxide cathode materials typically generate large amounts of effluent which effluent must be treated prior to discharge. The present process uses mixed metals as raw materials in a wet chemical reaction in order to make high-quality precursors which can be used to prepare high-quality cathode materials after lithiation. As a key feature, in the precursor preparation process, the bulk of the aqueous solution used for the wet chemical reaction is recycled back to the reactor, so that the total process has little or no effluent generated during production of the cathode precursor material.