IP Library › Granted Patent US 12703893
Granted Patent B2
US 12703893 · App. 18/278,427 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Method for recovering valuable metal from used LIB

Inventors: Hajime Kawasaki (Iwaki, JP); Atsuhiro Nabei (Naka, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
C22B9/16C22B7/003C22B15/0028C22B15/0056C22B23/02H01M10/54
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703893
App. No.
18/278,427
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

This method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB includes: a step of adding, to an electrode assembly taken out of a detoxified used LIB, metallic zinc in an excess amount relative to a mass of the electrode assembly; a step of heating a mixture of the electrode assembly and the metallic zinc to form a molten metal; a step of taking out the molten metal and separating the molten metal into an alloy metal and a slag; and a step of heating the alloy metal to volatilize zinc in the alloy metal, and thereby, recovering an alloy metal of a valuable metal.

Claims (20)

1 . A method for recovering a valuable metal from a used lithium ion secondary battery, LIB, comprising:

a step of adding, to an electrode assembly taken out of a used LIB, which has been discharged and detoxified, metallic zinc in an amount of 10 times or more by mass relative to an amount of a cathode active material contained in the electrode assembly;

a step of heating a mixture of the electrode assembly and the metallic zinc to form a molten metal;

a step of taking out the molten metal and separating the molten metal into an alloy metal and a slag; and

a step of heating the alloy metal to volatilize zinc in the alloy metal, and thereby, recovering an alloy metal of the valuable metal,

wherein the valuable metal is one or more of copper, nickel, and cobalt.

2 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 1 ,

wherein the metallic zinc is added in an amount of 10 to 20 times by mass relative to the amount of the cathode active material in the electrode assembly.

3 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 1 ,

wherein the molten metal containing the alloy metal of zinc and the valuable metal is formed by heating at a temperature of 600° C. to 900° C. in an atmosphere.

4 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 1 ,

wherein the alloy metal separated from the slag is heated at a temperature of 910° C. or higher to volatilize the zinc in the alloy metal, and an alloy metal of copper, nickel, and cobalt is recovered.

5 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 2 ,

wherein the molten metal containing the alloy metal of zinc and the valuable metal is formed by heating at a temperature of 600° C. to 900° C. in an atmosphere.

6 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 2 ,

wherein the alloy metal separated from the slag is heated at a temperature of 910° C. or higher to volatilize the zinc in the alloy metal, and an alloy metal of copper, nickel, and cobalt is recovered.

7 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 3 ,

wherein the alloy metal separated from the slag is heated at a temperature of 910° C. or higher to volatilize the zinc in the alloy metal, and an alloy metal of copper, nickel, and cobalt is recovered.

8 . The method for recovering a valuable metal from a used LIB according to claim 5 ,

wherein the alloy metal separated from the slag is heated at a temperature of 910° C. or higher to volatilize the zinc in the alloy metal, and an alloy metal of copper, nickel, and cobalt is recovered.