The efficacious electrochemical reduction strategy for ammonia leaching recycling of spent battery

The normalization of the recycling process is considered a crucial guarantee for the sustainable development of lithium-ion batteries. Ammonia leaching is known for its capability of selective extraction, which is of vital importance to alleviate the burden of impurity separation. However, the sluggish reaction rate limits its practical application. Herein, an electrochemical reduction strategy is well-designed for ammonia leaching by introducing Fe/Fe2+ which functions as negative electrodes to form galvanic cells with cathode material (LiNi0.33-Co0.33Mn0.33O2, NCM). Due to its superior mechanism, reaction time can be shortened with a satisfied result of valuable metals extraction. Around 100% Li and Ni, 91.74% Co can be extracted within 105 min by introducing Fe powder; 91.75% Li, 85.24% Ni and 75.25% Co can be extracted within an even shorter time of 15 min by introducing FeSO4. This strategy provides inspiration and a new perspective on large-scale battery recycling, especially for the practical application of ammonia leaching.

Automated summary

Ammonia leaching is an important method for selective extraction of valuable metals in recycling lithium-ion batteries. In this study, an electrochemical reduction strategy using Fe/Fe2+ as negative electrodes was designed to accelerate the leaching process and successfully extract valuable materials.