Influence of the cell type on yield and composition of black mass deriving from a mechanical recycling process of automotive Lithium-ion batteries

A wide range of Lithium-Ion Battery cell types is utilized in the automotive industry. These different cell types contain distinct anode and cathode active materials that are bound to the current collector foils by different binders. It is obligatory to recover the cathode metals Co, Li, and Ni as well as the Cu from the anode during recycling in accordance with European regulations. The yield and the characteristics of the generated black masses (fraction < 1 mm) vary significantly among the different cell types. Some cell types demonstrate an effective decoating, resulting in a high cathode metal recovery already after the first crushing. In contrast, other cell types exhibit low decoating and low metal recovery. The Al and Cu impurity content in the resulting black masses differs by a factor of 6 across different cell types reflecting their unique characteristics.