Methods for electrochemical cell remediation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372802-A1
Application number	US-201615186928-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate generally to methods for the remediation of electrochemical cell electrodes. In some embodiments, a method includes obtaining an electrode material. At least a portion of the electrode material is rinsed to remove a residue therefrom. The electrode material is separated into constituents for reuse.

First claim

1 . A method for electrode remediation, the method comprising:
obtaining an electrode material; rinsing at least a portion of the electrode material to remove a residue; and separating the electrode material into constituents for reuse.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode material is a depleted electrode material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode material is a semi-solid electrode material.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode material is substantially free of a binder.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the electrode material includes at least one of centrifugation and air classification.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the electrode material includes disassembling an electrochemical cell containing the electrode material.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein obtaining the electrode material further includes physically removing the electrode material from a portion of the disassembled electrochemical cell.

8 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
combining an additive with at least one of the separated constituents of the electrode material to alter a stoichiometry and/or a crystallinity thereof; and heat treating the combined additive and at least one of the separated constituents of the electrode material to form a remediated electrode material.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
incorporating the remediated electrode material into an electrochemical cell.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrode material is a cathode material, and the additive is a lithium-containing additive.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrode material is a cathode material, and the heat treating is performed in an oxidizing or an inert atmosphere.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrode material includes as least one of LiCoO 2 (“LCO”), Li(Ni, Mn, Co)O 2 (“NMC”), LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (“NCA”), LiMn 2 O 4 (“LMO”), LiCoPO 4 (“LCP”), and LiNiPO 4 (“LNP”).

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrode material comprises one of LiFePO 4 (“LFP”), LiMnPO 4 (“LMP”), LiMn 1−x Fe x PO 4 (“LMFP”), and Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (“LTO”).

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrode material is an anode material, and the heat treating is performed in a reducing or an inert atmosphere.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the electrode material includes using a centrifuge and results in a sedimentation of the constituents into layers.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the electrode material includes using air classification and results in a sedimentation of the constituents into layers.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
loading the electrode material into a treatment vessel.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein rinsing includes immersing the at least a portion of the electrode material in an organic solvent.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the electrode material is rinsed prior to separating the electrode material into constituents.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode material is separated prior to rinsing.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rinsing is a first rinsing and the separating is a first separating, the method further comprising a second rinsing and a second separating.

22 . A method for recycling electrode material, the method comprising:
separating a binderless electrode material from a current collector; rinsing the binderless electrode material to remove a residue; and separating the binderless electrode material into constituents for reuse.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
combining an additive with at least one of the separated constituents to alter a stoichiometry and/or a crystallinity thereof.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the binderless electrode material is a cathode material, and the additive is a lithium-containing additive.

25 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:
heating the additive and at least one of the separated constituents to produce a remediated electrode material.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein separating the binderless electrode material from the current collector includes using at least one of a centrifuge, air classification, filtration, sieving, sedimentation, field flow fractionation, and electrophoresis.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein rinsing the binderless electrode material includes immersing at least a portion of the binderless electrode material in an organic solvent.

28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the residue includes at least a portion of an electrolyte salt, an electrolyte solvent, and a reaction product, including a solid electrolyte interphase material.

29 . A method for recycling electrode material, the method comprising:
obtaining an electrode material; rinsing the electrode material to remove at least a portion of an electrolyte salt, an electrolyte solvent, and a reaction product; and separating the electrode material into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including active electrode material and the second portion including a conductive carbon material.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the electrode material is substantially free of a binder.

31 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:
separating the electrode material into a third portion, the third portion including a metal.

32 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the reaction product is a solid electrolyte interphase material.

33 . The method of claim 29 , wherein separating the electrode material into the first portion and the second portion includes using at least one of a centrifuge, air classification, filtration, sieving, sedimentation, field flow fractionation, and electrophoresis.

Assignees

• 24M Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Woodford William
• Yu Hiuling Zoe

Classifications

• H01M6/52 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste cells or batteries {, e.g. recycling} · CPC title

• H01M10/54 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• Y02W30/84

  Recycling of batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title