Thermodynamic and experimental analysis of lithium selectively recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries by in-situ carbothermal reduction

The proliferation of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is a growing concern in the expanding electric vehicles (EVs) market. Recycling spent ternary LIBs significantly relieves environmental pressure and reduces resource waste. In this study, a reduction roasting-leaching process utilizing graphite was present to selectively recover lithium from spent ternary LIBs cathode. In detail, the selective leaching behavior of lithium elements under different roasting parameters was investigated. And a thorough analysis of the carbothermal reduction (CTR) process was then conducted to evaluate the process thermodynamically. The experimental results show that the roasted products of the cathode material are Li2CO3, MnO, NiO, CoO, Ni, and Co with process parameters of 10 wt% graphite content, 700 ℃, and 90 min roasting. 84.11 % of lithium elements are preferentially leached through the water-leaching process after CTR roasting. The technology not only promotes the recycling of waste resources but also provides a viable solution for the sustainable development of the LIBs industry.