A novel recovery process of metal values from the cathode active materials of the lithium-ion secondary batteries

A novel process was conducted with experiments which separated and recovered metal values such as Co, Mn, Ni and Li from the cathode active materials of the lithium-ion secondary batteries. A leaching efficiency of more than 99% of Co, Mn, Ni and Li could be achieved with a 4 M hydrochloric acid solution, 80 °C leaching temperature, 1 hour leaching time and 0.02 gml− 1 solid-to-liquid ratio. For the recovery process of the mixture, firstly the Mn in the leaching liquor was selectively reacted and nearly completed with a KMnO4 reagent, the Mn was recovered as MnO2 and manganese hydroxide. Secondly, the Ni in the leaching liquor was selectively extracted and nearly completed with dimethylglyoxime. Thirdly, the aqueous solution in addition to the 1 M sodium hydroxide solution to reach pH = 11 allowed the selective precipitation of the cobalt hydroxide. The remaining Li in the aqueous solution was readily recovered as Li2CO3 precipitated by the addition of a saturated Na2CO3 solution. The purity of the recovery powder of lithium, manganese, cobalt and nickel was 96.97, 98.23, 96.94 and 97.43 wt.%, respectively.