Hydrometallurgical separation of copper and cobalt from lithium-ion batteries using aqueous two-phase systems.
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Date
2017
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Abstract
A new green hydrometallurgical method was developed for the selective extraction of copper and cobalt from
spent lithium-ion batteries, using an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) extraction technique. The method was
optimized for the extraction of Cu(II) and Co(II), considering the influence of the following parameters: type
and concentration of extractant (1-(2-pyridyl-azo)-2-naphthol (PAN), 1-nitroso-2-naphthol (1N2N), or
bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid (Cyanex 272)); pH (1.00, 6.00, or 11.0); ATPS-forming electrolyte
(Na2SO4 or Na3C6H5O7); tie-line length (TLL) of the system; and mass ratio of the top and bottom phases
(mTP/mBP). The recovery efficiency was evaluated in terms of the extraction percentage (%E) and the separation
factor (S) between copper and cobalt. The best conditions for selective extraction were achieved using an ATPS
composed of L64+Na2SO4+H2O,with pH=6.00, TLL=50.3% (w/w),mTP/mBP=1, and PAN as the extracting
agent, which resulted in βCu,Co=3.22×102. The method was subsequently applied to a real lithium-ion battery
sample, previously leached with HCl and HNO3. Improved separation of copper and cobalt was achieved using
successive extraction steps, resulting in βCu,Co=5.40×105. A stripping assaywas also performed, and after a single
step, 70.5% of the copper was available for an electrowinning process
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Liquid-liquid extraction
Citation
LEITE, D. S. et al. Hydrometallurgical separation of copper and cobalt from lithium-ion batteries using aqueous two-phase systems. Hydrometallurgy, v. 169, p. 245-252, 2017. Disponível em: <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304386X16303644>. Acesso em: 15 set. 2017.