US 11,811,035 B2
Recovery of critical elements from end-of-life lithium ion batteries with supported membrane solvent extraction
Ramesh R. Bhave, Knoxville, TN (US); Syed Z. Islam, Knoxville, TN (US); and Priyesh A. Wagh, Knoxville, TN (US)
Assigned to UT-BATTELLE, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US)
Filed by UT-Battelle, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US)
Filed on May 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/884,189.
Prior Publication US 2021/0376400 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. H01M 10/54 (2006.01); C22B 26/12 (2006.01); C22B 3/00 (2006.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01); B01D 61/38 (2006.01); H01M 4/525 (2010.01); B01D 63/02 (2006.01); B01D 11/04 (2006.01); C22B 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 10/54 (2013.01) [B01D 11/0415 (2013.01); B01D 11/0488 (2013.01); B01D 11/0492 (2013.01); B01D 61/38 (2013.01); B01D 63/02 (2013.01); C22B 23/00 (2013.01); C22B 23/0484 (2013.01); C22B 26/12 (2013.01); H01M 4/525 (2013.01); H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); B01D 2311/18 (2013.01); Y02P 10/20 (2015.11); Y02W 30/84 (2015.05)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for the recovery of cobalt from lithium ion batteries, the method comprising:
dissolving a battery material containing Co, Mn, Ni, and Li within an acid to form a feed solution, the feed solution including Co and Li;
providing a membrane module including a plurality of hollow fibers, the plurality of hollow fibers including a porous sidewall defining a lumen side spaced apart from a shell side;
wetting the porous sidewall of the plurality of hollow fibers with an organic phase, the organic phase including a cationic extractant and an organic solvent, wherein the organic phase is free of tributyl phosphate;
performing membrane solvent extraction by moving the feed solution along one of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers and simultaneously moving a strip solution along the other of the lumen side or the shell side of the plurality of hollow fibers, the strip solution including a pH that is less than a pH of the aqueous feed solution;
maintaining a pH of the feed solution within a predetermined range of between 4.0 and 6.0, inclusive, by intermittently introducing a buffer or a base to the feed solution during membrane solvent extraction;
wherein wetting the porous sidewall of the plurality of hollow fibers with the organic phase is performed prior to moving the feed solution and moving the strip solution, and wherein the cationic extractant in the porous sidewall continuously extracts Co and Mn from the aqueous feed solution for recovery by the strip solution while substantially rejecting Li and Ni.