US 11,811,035 B2Granted

Recovery of critical elements from end-of-life lithium ion batteries with supported membrane solvent extraction

AssigneeUT-Battelle, LLC

InventorsRamesh R. Bhave, Syed Z. Islam, Priyesh A. Wagh

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Abstract

Single-stage and multi-stage systems and methods for the recovery of critical elements in substantially pure form from lithium ion batteries are provided. The systems and methods include supported membrane solvent extraction using an immobilized organic phase within the pores of permeable hollow fibers. The permeable hollow fibers are contacted by a feed solution on one side, and a strip solution on another side, to provide the simultaneous extraction and stripping of elements from dissolved lithium ion cathode materials, while rejecting other elements from the feed solution. The single- and multi-stage systems and methods can selectively recover cobalt, manganese, nickel, lithium, aluminum and other elements from spent battery cathodes and are not limited by equilibrium constraints as compared to traditional solvent extraction processes.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for the recovery of cobalt from lithium ion batteries, the method comprising:

dissolving a battery material containing Co, Mn, Ni, and Li within an acid to form a feed solution, the feed solution including Co and Li;
providing a membrane module including a plurality of hollow fibers, the plurality of hollow fibers including a porous sidewall defining a lumen side spaced apart from a shell side;
wetting the porous sidewall of the plurality of hollow fibers with an organic phase, the organic phase including a cationic extractant and an organic solvent, wherein the organic phase is free of tributyl phosphate;
performing membrane solvent extraction by moving the feed solution along one of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers and simultaneously moving a strip solution along the other of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers, the strip solution including a pH that is less than a pH of the aqueous feed solution;
maintaining a pH of the feed solution within a predetermined range of between 4.0 and 6.0, inclusive, by intermittently introducing a buffer or a base to the feed solution during membrane solvent extraction;
wherein wetting the porous sidewall of the plurality of hollow fibers with the organic phase is performed prior to moving the feed solution and moving the strip solution, and wherein the cationic extractant in the porous sidewall continuously extracts Co and Mn from the aqueous feed solution for recovery by the strip solution while substantially rejecting Li and Ni.

3 more elements

A method for recycling battery material, the method comprising:

dissolving battery material containing Co, Mn, Li, and Ni within an acid to form a first feed solution and regulating the pH of the first feed solution between 4 and 6, inclusive;
providing a first membrane module including a first plurality of hollow fibers, the first plurality of hollow fibers each including a lumen side and a shell side;
wetting the first plurality of hollow fibers with a first organic phase, the first organic phase including a first cationic extractant;
and
after wetting the first plurality of hollow fibers, moving the aqueous feed solution along one of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers and simultaneously moving a strip solution along the other of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers;
wherein the first cationic extractant continuously removes Co and Mn from the aqueous feed solution as a first-stage membrane solvent extraction while substantially rejecting Li and Ni, and wherein the strip solution continuously back extracts Co and Mn from the first organic phase;
further including performing a second-stage membrane solvent extraction of the first strip solution, as a second feed solution, to recover Co while substantially rejecting Mn, and regulating the pH of the second feed solution to be less than or equal to 1.5.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.