US 12,074,302 B2
Charge material for recycled lithium-ion batteries
Yan Wang, Acton, MA (US); Eric Gratz, Westborough, MA (US); Qina Sa, Westborough, MA (US); Zhangfeng Zheng, Westborough, MA (US); Joseph Heelan, Woodstock, CT (US); and Kee-Chan Kim, Westborough, MA (US)
Assigned to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA (US)
Filed by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/841,152.
Application 17/841,152 is a continuation of application No. 17/412,742, filed on Aug. 26, 2021, granted, now 11,955,613.
Application 17/412,742 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/164,952, filed on Oct. 19, 2018, granted, now 11,127,992, issued on Sep. 21, 2021.
Application 16/164,952 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/358,862, filed on Nov. 22, 2016, granted, now 10,522,884, issued on Dec. 31, 2019.
Application 15/358,862 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/855,994, filed on Apr. 3, 2013, granted, now 9,834,827, issued on Dec. 5, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/259,161, filed on Nov. 24, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/620,051, filed on Apr. 4, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2022/0311068 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. H01M 10/54 (2006.01); C22B 1/24 (2006.01); C22B 3/00 (2006.01); C22B 7/00 (2006.01); C22B 26/22 (2006.01)
CPC H01M 10/54 (2013.01) [C22B 1/24 (2013.01); C22B 7/007 (2013.01); C22B 23/0423 (2013.01); C22B 23/043 (2013.01); C22B 23/0438 (2013.01); C22B 26/22 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for recycling batteries, comprising:
combining crushed battery material with leaching agents to dissolve cathode materials into a leach solution;
separating cathode material salts dissolved in the leach solution from undissolved materials and determining a molar ratio of the dissolved cathode materials salts;
adding, based on the determined molar ratio, a least one of Ni, Co, Mn, or Al salts to adjust the molar ratio of the dissolved cathode material salts to a selected molar ratio, including adding the Al salt as a hydroxide or a sulfate salt, further comprising:
when the Al salt is the sulfate salt, adding a solubilizing agent to the leach solution to maintain the Al salt dissolved in the leach solution; and
raising a pH of the leach solution to precipitate a cathode material precursor, the cathode material precursor having the selected molar ratio.