Study of the Carbochlorination Process with CaCl 2 and Water Leaching for the Extraction of Lithium from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The abundant use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in a wide variety of electric devices and vehicles will generate a large number of depleted batteries, which contain several valuable metals, such as Li, Co, Mn, and Ni, present in the structure of the cathode material (LiMO₂). The present work investigates the extraction of lithium, as lithium chloride, from spent LIBs by carbochlorination roasting. The starting samples consisted of a mixture of cathode and anode materials from different spent LIBs known as black mass. Calcium chloride was used as a chlorinating agent, and carbon black was used as a reducing agent. The black mass, calcium chloride, and carbon black were mixed in 50:20:30 w/w % proportions. Non-isothermal thermogravimetric tests up to 850 °C and isothermal tests at 350, 500, and 700 °C were carried out in an inert atmosphere. It was observed that the carbochlorination reaction starts at 500 °C. An extraction percentage of 99% was attained through carbochlorination at 700 °C. The characterization results indicate that CaCO₃, Ni, and Co and, to a lesser extent, CoO, NiO, and MnO₂ are present in the roasted sample after the processes of washing, filtering, and drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]