A Novel Pyrometallurgical Recycling Process for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Its Application to the Recycling of LCO and LFP

The bottleneck of recycling chains for spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is the recovery valuable metals from black matter that remains after dismantling and deactivation in pre‑treatment processes, which has to be treated a subsequent step with pyrometallurgical and/or hydrometallurgical methods. In course this paper, investigations heating microscope were conducted determine high-temperature behavior cathode materials lithium cobalt oxide (LCO—chem., LiCoO2) iron phosphate (LFP—chem., LiFePO4) LIB carbon addition. For purpose continuous process development novel adaptation requirements material, two different reactor designs examined. When treating LCO an Al2O3 crucible, could removed at rate 76% via gas stream, directly purely available further processing. contrast, removal up 97% was achieved MgO crucible. addition, basic capability concept treatment LFP investigated whereby phosphorus 64% simultaneous 68% observed.