New technology effectively recycles lithium batteries

　　Recently, a new study published in the journal International Energy Technology and Policy describes a new method to extract lithium and cobalt from these batteries, the two metals that make up the majority of battery components.

　　Nowadays, most electronic devices such as smart phones, tablet computers, wearable devices, and electric cars use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. However, when these lithium batteries are used for two to three years, their functions and efficiency will degrade, and their life will even end. At this time, we must consider the issue of recycling. Recently, a new study published in the journal International Energy Technology and Policy describes a new method to extract lithium and cobalt from these batteries, the two metals that make up the majority of battery components.

　　How to recycle lithium batteries? New technology extracts lithium and cobalt from it!

　　plan

　　According to the explanations of Ataur Rahman, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Rafia Afroz, Department of Economics, International Islamic University, Malaysia, as the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries requires two metals, lithium and cobalt, the prices of these two metals are increasing day by day. At present, they have developed a new type of recycling technology that can effectively extract these metals from waste batteries.

　　process

　　The 　　 team used hydrometallurgical technology to reduce cobalt and lithium from a 48.8Wh lithium battery in laboratory-level tests. This process includes: first, baking the battery in an oven at 700 degrees Celsius, "calcining" cobalt, lithium and copper, destroying organic compounds such as plastic and foam. This calcined substance carries metals and metal compounds (salts and oxides), and then adds strong acid, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid to extract metal ions. The team used hydrogen peroxide as a reducing agent to conduct experiments to test whether this reagent can improve the leaching process. They can extract lithium with an efficiency of about 50% and cobalt with an efficiency of about 25%.

　　Feasibility

　　Because these metals represent 41% and 8.5% of the weight of the 48.8Wh battery, the overall extraction rate is relatively high. In addition, coupled with the effects of heat and acid, it constitutes a commercially viable solution for Recycle the electrodes of these batteries.

　　Then, this leached metal can be used to make new batteries, or for other industrial applications. This contaminated liquid waste can be recycled and processed more safely.