Relithiation in oxidizing conditions
Examples are disclosed of methods to recycle positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. One example provides a method including relithiating the positive-electrode material in a solution comprising lithium ions and an oxidizing agent, and after relithiating, separating the positive-electrode material from the solution.
1. A method of recycling a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
relithiating the positive-electrode material by heating the positive-electrode material in a solution comprising lithium ions and an oxidizing agent under pressure in an autoclave; and
after relithiating, separating the positive-electrode material from the solution.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution comprising lithium ions also comprises dissolved nickel.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein relithiating the positive-electrode material comprises relithiating the positive-electrode material via a fluidized bed.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to heating the positive-electrode material, removing an amount of carbon from the positive-electrode material.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after heating the positive-electrode material, removing an amount of carbon from the positive-electrode material.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent comprises one or more of oxygen, a peroxide, a permanganate, a nitrate, a sulfite, a carbonate, and a phosphate.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after separating the positive-electrode material from the solution, rinsing the positive-electrode material in a basic liquid, and drying the positive-electrode material.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein rinsing the positive-electrode material comprises rinsing with a solution of water and lithium hydroxide.
9. The method of claim 7 , 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, bromoform, di-bromomethane, bromal, tetraboro-methane, bromine, di-bromoethane; solutions of ammonium metatungstate, sodium polytungstate, and potassium tetraiodomercurate(II).
10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising calcining the positive-electrode material after drying the positive-electrode material.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises a supersaturated lithium hydroxide solution.
12. A method of recycling a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
heating the positive-electrode material in a solution comprising lithium ions and an oxidizing agent under pressure in an autoclave;
after heating, separating the positive-electrode material from the solution; and
after separating, recovering the positive-electrode material.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, prior to heating the positive-electrode material, removing an amount of carbon from the positive-electrode material.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the oxidizing agent comprises one or more of an oxygen, a peroxide, a permanganate, a nitrate, a sulfite, a carbonate, and a phosphate.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, after separating the positive-electrode material from the solution, rinsing the positive-electrode material with a solution or buffer of basic pH.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein rinsing the positive-electrode material comprises rinsing with a solution of water and lithium hydroxide.
17. The method of claim 15 , 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, bromoform, di-bromomethane, bromal, tetraboro-methane, bromine, di-bromoethane; solutions of ammonium metatungstate, sodium polytungstate, and potassium tetraiodomercurate(II).
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the solution comprises a supersaturated lithium hydroxide solution.
19. A method of recycling a positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery, the method comprising:
removing an amount of carbon from the positive-electrode material;
heating the positive-electrode material in a supersaturated lithium hydroxide solution under pressure in an autoclave, the supersaturated lithium hydroxide solution comprising an oxidizing agent;
after heating, separating the positive-electrode material from the supersaturated lithium hydroxide solution; and
after separating, recovering the positive-electrode material.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the oxidizing agent comprises one or more of an oxygen, a peroxide, a permanganate, a nitrate, a sulfite, a carbonate, and a phosphate.