Extractive separation studies of manganese from spent lithium battery leachate using mixture of PC88A and Versatic 10 acid in kerosene

• By addition of Versatic 10 acid, D value of Co and Mn was decreased.
• Adding Versatic 10 acid to PC88A caused loading capacity of PC88A was decreased.
• Separation factor value of Mn over Co was increased.
• In the counter current simulation extraction, manganese was extracted to 99.5%.
• Impurities were completely removed by EDTA solution from the loaded organic sample.

We investigated the separation of Mn with reduced extraction behavior of Co by PC88A/Versatic 10 acid from a leaching solution of spent lithium-ion batteries containing 11.4 g/L Co, 11.7 g/L Mn, 12.2 g/L Ni, and 5.3 g/L Li. The distribution coefficient and separation factor of Mn and Co were determined at different pHs. The slope analysis method was used to determine the extraction mechanism in the PC88A/Versatic 10 acid system. A McCabe–Thiele diagram and countercurrent simulation batch extraction were also investigated to determine at what stage Mn is extracted. The results show a decrease in distribution coefficient of Co and Mn, however, the separation factor of Mn over Co increased. This is an example of the antagonistic effect of Versatic 10 acid addition to PC88A. Using this effect, Mn can be recovered with an organic/aqueous ratio of 1 in the fourth stage in a PC88A/Versatic 10 acid system.