- Stage of development
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Development at the laboratory / pilot plant level discontinuous
- Intellectual property
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European patent filed
- Intended collaboration
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Licensing and/or co-development
- Contact
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Marisa CarrascosoVice-presidency for Innovation and Transfermacarrascoso@orgc.csic.escomercializacion@csic.es
- Reference
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CSIC/MC/106
Additional information
#Environment
#Recycling / Recovery
Recovery very high purity of Li, Ni and Co from the black mass of batteries
Obtaining valuable metals through a carbon-chemical process from discarded lithium-ion batteries. The metals are obtained with very high yields and purity and can be reused.
- Market need
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Lithium-ion batteries contain a high percentage of valuable and hazardous heavy metals, making their recovery key to preserving natural resources and the environment.
- Proposed solution
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A procedure has been developed using carbothermic reduction and magnetic separation of the black mass from these batteries, yielding nickel, cobalt, and lithium. This black mass is obtained by separating the anode and cathode mixture from the batteries.
It is also possible to recover the graphite contained in the battery cathode.
- Competitive advantages
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- Nickel, cobalt, and lithium are obtained with a yield of 98%, 92%, and 99%, respectively.
- The metals are obtained with a purity greater than 98%.
- The metals are obtained with a purity greater than 98%. These metals can be reused in other industrial processes, including battery manufacturing.