Processes for preparing hydroxides and oxides of various metals and derivatives thereof

Abstract

A process for preparing metal oxide comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum. The process comprising: reacting a metal sulfate comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum with lithium hydroxide and optionally a chelating agent to obtain a solid comprising a metal hydroxide comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum, and a liquid comprising lithium sulfate, the metal sulfate comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum; separating the liquid and the solid from one another to obtain the metal hydroxide; submitting the liquid comprising lithium sulfate to an electromembrane process for converting the lithium sulfate into lithium hydroxide; and reusing at least a first portion of said lithium hydroxide obtained by the electromembrane process for reacting with the metal sulfate; reacting at least a second portion of said lithium hydroxide obtained by the electromembrane process with the obtained metal hydroxide to obtain a mixture of metal hydroxides; and roasting said mixture of metal hydroxides to obtain the metal oxide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.