Recovery of cobalt from lithium-ion batteries using fluidised cathode molten salt electrolysis. (20th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mirza, Mateen; Abdulaziz, Rema; Maskell, William C.; Tan, Chun; Shearing, Paul R.; Brett, Dan J.L.
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 391(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-20
• Subjects: Battery recycling -- Molten salts -- Fluidised cathode -- Li-ion batteries -- LiCoO2; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138846
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Abstract: The future need to recycle enormous quantities of Li-ion batteries is a consequence of the rapid rise in electric vehicles required to decarbonise the transport sector. Cobalt is a critical element in many Li-ion battery cathode chemistries. Herein, an electrochemical reduction and recovery process of Co from LiCoO2 is demonstrated that uses a molten salt fluidised cathode technique. For the Li-Co-O-Cl system, specific to the experimental process, a predominance diagram was developed to aid in understanding the reduction pathway. The voltammograms indicate two 2-electron transfer reactions and the reduction of CoO to Co at −2.4 V vs. Ag/Ag + . Chronoamperometry revealed a Faradaic current efficiency estimated between 70-80% for the commercially-obtained LiCoO2 and upwards of 80% for the spent Li-ion battery. The molten salt electrochemical process route for the recycling of spent Li-ion batteries could prove to be a simple, green and high-throughput route for the efficient recovery of critical materials.