US 12,312,654 B2
Process for the recovery of lithium and other metals from waste lithium ion batteries
Wolfgang Rohde, Ludwigshafen (DE); Birgit Gerke, Ludwigshafen (DE); Regina Vogelsang, Ludwigshafen (DE); Matthias Voges, Ludwigshafen (DE); Kerstin Schierle-Arndt, Ludwigshafen (DE); Fabian Seeler, Ludwigshafen (DE); and Torben Adermann, Ludwigshafen (DE)
Assigned to BASF SE, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE)
Appl. No. 17/625,753
Filed by BASF SE, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE)
PCT Filed Jul. 24, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/071035
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 9, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/018796, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19188696 (EP), filed on Jul. 26, 2019; application No. 20151674 (EP), filed on Jan. 14, 2020; and application No. 20151754 (EP), filed on Jan. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0251681 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C22B 26/12 (2006.01); C22B 1/00 (2006.01); C22B 3/12 (2006.01); C22B 7/00 (2006.01); C22B 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC C22B 26/12 (2013.01) [C22B 1/005 (2013.01); C22B 3/12 (2013.01); C22B 7/008 (2013.01); C22B 23/00 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
 
1. A process for recovering one or more transition metals, and lithium as Li-salt from a particulate material comprising waste lithium ion batteries or parts thereof, wherein the process comprises:
(a) providing the particulate material comprises a transition metal compound and/or transition metal, wherein the transition metal is chosen from Ni and Co, and at least a fraction of the Ni and/or Co are in an oxidation state lower than +2 and wherein the particulate material further comprises a lithium salt;
(b) treating the particulate material of step (a) with an alkaline earth hydroxide and a polar solvent;
(c) separating solid residue comprising the transition metal from liquid of the particulate material of step (b), and optionally, subjecting the solid residue to a solid-solid separation for the removal of the transition metal; and
(d) treating the solid residue of step (c) comprising the transition metal to dissolve at least part of the Ni and/or Co.