IP Library Granted Patent US 12683208
Granted Patent B2
US 12683208 · App. 18/215,811 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Method for removing elemental copper from ternary battery waste and application thereof

Inventors: Xie Sun (Changsha, CN); Ding Yang (Foshan, CN); Ruokui Chen (Foshan, CN); Yanchao Qiao (Foshan, CN); Xianliang Zheng (Changsha, CN); Feng Tan (Changsha, CN); Changdong Li (Foshan, CN)
Assignees: HUNAN BRUNP RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; GUANGDONG BRUNP RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.; HUNAN BRUNP EV RECYCLING CO., LTD.
H01M10/54C22B7/005C22B7/008C22B15/0065C22B15/0091C22B21/0023C22B23/0415C22B47/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12683208
App. No.
18/215,811
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are a method for removing elemental copper from ternary battery waste and its application. The method comprises the following steps: crushing and screening the ternary battery waste to obtain a powder, and then removing iron by magnetic separation to obtain an iron-removed ternary waste; Adding an alkaline solution to the iron-removed ternary waste to perform an aluminum removal reaction, filtering to obtain a filter slag and aluminum-containing wastewater, washing the filter slag with water and drying to obtain a copper-nickel-cobalt-manganese material. Adding an iron salt solution to the copper-nickel-containing material to perform a leaching process, filtering to obtain a leachate and a nickel-cobalt-manganese waste; adding iron powder to the leachate and stirring to perform a reaction, filtering to obtain a copper residue, washing the copper residue with water and drying to obtain a copper-removed liquid and a sponge copper.

Claims (22)

1 . A method for removing elemental copper from a ternary battery waste comprising the following steps:

(1) crushing and screening the ternary battery waste to obtain a powder, and removing iron from the powder by magnetic separation to obtain an iron-removed ternary waste;

(2) adding an alkaline solution to the iron-removed ternary waste to perform an aluminum removal reaction, filtering to obtain a filter slag and an aluminum-containing wastewater, washing the filter slag with water and drying to obtain a copper-containing nickel-cobalt-manganese material;

(3) adding an iron salt solution to the copper-containing nickel-cobalt-manganese material to perform a leaching process, filtering to obtain a filter residue and a leachate containing Fe 3+ , Fe 2+ , and Cu 2+ , washing the filter residue to obtain a nickel-cobalt-manganese waste;

4) adding iron powder to the leachate and stirring to perform a reaction, filtering to obtain a copper-removed liquid and a copper residue, washing the copper residue with water and drying to obtain a sponge copper; the iron salt solution has a Fe 3+ concentration of 5-20 g/L;

wherein in step (2), an alkali in the alkaline solution and aluminum in the iron-removed ternary waste are in a molar ratio of (1.2-1.5):1; and the aluminum removal reaction is carried out at a temperature of 80° C.-100° C.;

and wherein step (3) further comprises steps of subjecting the nickel-cobalt-manganese waste to acid leaching, impurity removal, extraction and separation to obtain a nickel-cobalt-manganese salt solution, and then recovering nickel, cobalt and manganese.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (1), the ternary battery waste is a cathode material obtained by disassembling a spent lithium nickel cobalt manganate battery or a cathode material waste produced during a manufacturing process of a lithium nickel cobalt manganate battery.

3 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 2 .

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (2), the alkaline solution is an alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution; the alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide solution and potassium hydroxide solution.

5 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 4 .

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the iron powder in step (4) and iron ions in the iron salt solution in step (3) are in a molar ratio of (0.5-0.8):1; and wherein the iron powder has a size of 60-120 mesh.

7 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 6 .

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (2), the aluminum removal reaction is carried out for 0.5-5 h; and wherein in step (3), the iron salt solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of iron chloride solution, iron sulfate solution, and iron nitrate solution.

9 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 8 .

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step (3), the leaching process is performed at a temperature of 10° C.-30° C. for 2-6 h.

11 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 10 .

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (4) further comprises steps of adding an oxidizing agent to the copper-removed liquid to perform an oxidation reaction and obtain a solution comprising ferric ions, diluting the solution with water to obtain a diluted solution, and returning the diluted solution to step (3) to continue copper removal.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the oxidizing agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of oxygen, ozone, and chlorine; wherein the oxidizing agent is introduced at a rate of 10-50 L/h; the oxidation reaction is carried out for 3-12 h.

14 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 13 .

15 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 12 .

16 . A method for recycling of ternary battery waste, comprising using the method of claim 1 .