Recycling positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery
Examples are disclosed of methods to recycle positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. In one example, the positive-electrode material is heated under pressure in a concentrated lithium hydroxide solution. After heating, the positive-electrode material is separated from the concentrated lithium hydroxide solution. After separating, the positive electrode material is rinsed in a basic liquid. After rinsing, the positive-electrode material is dried and sintered.
1. A method to recycle a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
heating the positive-electrode material under pressure in a solution comprising lithium ions;
after heating, separating the positive-electrode material from the solution comprising lithium ions;
after separating, rinsing the positive electrode material in a basic liquid; and
after rinsing, drying and sintering the positive electrode material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein rinsing the positive electrode material includes rinsing with a solution or buffer of basic pH.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein rinsing the positive electrode material comprises rinsing with a solution of water and lithium hydroxide.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein rinsing the positive electrode material includes rinsing with a nonaqueous solvent comprising one or more of methanol, ethanol, isopropol alcohol, t-butanol, n-butanol, glycol, polyethelene glycol and solutions thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing the positive-electrode material through a sieve prior to heating, to separate the positive-electrode material from other solids.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising thrashing the positive-electrode material in one or more of a basic medium, a nonaqueous solvent comprising one or more of methanol, ethanol, isopropol alcohol, t-butanol, n-butanol, glycol, polyethelene glycol, liquid, supercritical carbon dioxide, and solutions thereof prior to passing the positive-electrode material through the sieve.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein thrashing the positive-electrode material comprises thrashing in a lithium hydroxide solution.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cooling the positive-electrode material in an inert atmosphere after sintering, to convert residual lithium oxide in the positive-electrode material to lithium carbonate.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising grinding the positive-electrode material after drying to reduce a particle size of the positive-electrode material.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution comprising lithium ions comprises a concentrated lithium hydroxide solution.
11. A method to recycle a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
heating the positive-electrode material under pressure in a concentrated lithium hydroxide solution;
after heating, separating the positive-electrode material from the concentrated lithium hydroxide solution;
after separating, rinsing the positive electrode material in a basic liquid; and
after rinsing, drying and sintering the positive-electrode material.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein rinsing the positive electrode material comprises rinsing with a solution of water and lithium hydroxide.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein rinsing the positive electrode material includes rinsing with a nonaqueous solvent comprising one or more of methanol, ethanol, isopropol alcohol, t-butanol, n-butanol, glycol, polyethelene glycol, liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide and solutions thereof.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising passing the positive-electrode material through a sieve prior to heating, to separate the positive-electrode material from other solids.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising thrashing the positive-electrode material in a basic medium prior to passing the positive-electrode material through the sieve.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein thrashing the positive-electrode material comprises thrashing in a lithium hydroxide solution.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising cooling the positive-electrode material in an inert atmosphere after sintering, to convert residual lithium oxide in the positive-electrode material to lithium carbonate.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising grinding the positive-electrode material after drying to reduce a particle size of the positive-electrode material.
19. A method to recycle a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
thrashing the positive-electrode material in a basic medium;
collecting the positive-electrode material via filtration;
heating the positive-electrode material under pressure in a concentrated lithium hydroxide solution;
after heating, separating the positive-electrode material from the concentrated lithium hydroxide solution;
after separating, rinsing the positive-electrode material in a basic liquid; and
after rinsing, drying and sintering the positive-electrode material.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising cooling the positive-electrode material in an inert atmosphere after sintering, to convert residual lithium oxide in the positive-electrode material to lithium carbonate.