A study of the application of Donnan dialysis to the recycling of lithium ion batteries

A Donnan Dialysis based process utilizing cation exchange membranes to separate and recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese during hydrometallurgical recycling of lithium ion battery cathodes is proposed. Compared to conventional processes, the process has the potential to achieve higher lithium recoveries and to recycle lixiviant. The present work introduces the process, develops mathematical equations to describe it, presents experimentally found cation mass transfer coefficients through cation exchange membranes, and uses the experimental data and equations to predict theoretical kinetics and recoveries achievable by the process. The simulation predicts that in two days, utilizing 5000 dm(2) of CMS C-1805 Neosepta monovalent CEM and 2000 dm(2) of CMX C-1586 Neosepta polyvalent CEM, the proposed process is capable of processing 1000 L of leachate containing 285 mol of lithium, 95 mol each of cobalt, nickel, and manganese. 94.1% of the lithium can be recovered as high purity lithium carbonate and 99.4% of the transition metals as mixed sulphates ready for solvent extraction. At a minimum 422.6 mol of pure sulphuric acid and 268 mol of potassium bicarbonate are needed.