Innovative Slag design for eco-friendly efficient recycling of spent LIBs _InnoSlag4LIB

The dominating technology for spent Li-ion batteries (LIBs) recycling in EU is based on combined pyro and hydrometallurgy with focus on recovery of valuable metals like Co, Ni etc. The other materials like lithium and graphite are lost.

Lithium is diluted in a slag phase while graphite is burnt out as it causes major difficulties in the subsequent metal recovery processes. Moreover, fluorine containing gases evaporate during the thermal processing of spent LIBs. Other processes based on only hydrometallurgy are complicated, inflexible and not eco-friendly.

The present project has identified these major challenges and has the intention to develop an innovative method to utilize the graphite, concentrate the lithium in leachable fraction and minimize the release of fluorine with the process gas.

This includes; i) adding alloying element in its oxide form, so the graphite will be utilized as a reducing agent, ii) design the slag in a way to have no or very low solubility for Li and other valuable metals while have high fluorine capacity, iii) Optimize process parameters to ensure easy separation between metallic and slag phases, iv) Improve the process kinetics and improve the alloying process at lower temperatures by introducing mechanical activation concept for the starting materials mixture.

The proposed project will increase the recovery efficiency by >20%, convert waste into materials of high economic value, and minimize the releases toxic gasses during recycling process.