Systems and methods for recycling electrodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021242514-A1
Application number	US-201917048981-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 19, 2019
Priority date	Apr 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods that can present low-temperature recycling of rare metals from spent electrodes. An exemplary method of recycling a battery comprises: mixing, in a solution, at least an electrode material and a first solvent; reducing the electrode material in the solution to create a metallic material; and extracting the metallic material from the solution.

First claim

1 . A method of recycling a battery comprising:
mixing, in a solution, an electrode material and a first solvent; reducing the electrode material in the solution to create a metallic material; and extracting the metallic material from the solution; wherein the electrode material comprises:
a transition metal; and
an electrolyte.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
soaking the electrode source in a second solvent to form a mixture; and
drying the mixture to remove the second solvent.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising washing the extracted metallic material.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising drying, after the extracting, the solution.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein drying the solution obtains a recycled first solvent and a metal salt material; and
wherein the method further comprises heating the metal salt material.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the metal salt material comprises lithium carbonate.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode material further comprises lithium.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metallic material comprises at least one transition metal.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing comprises heating the solution in a reflux setup at a temperature of 250° C. or less.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing comprises heating the solution in a reflux setup at the boiling point temperature of the solution or greater.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting comprises using a magnet to attract the metallic material.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein reducing comprises heating for 12 hours or greater.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first solvent comprises a single-composition or multi-composition polyol.

18 . A method of recycling a battery comprising:
mixing, in a solution, an electrode material and a first solvent; heating the electrode material in the solution for 12 hours or greater to create a metallic material comprising at least one transition metal; and extracting the metallic material from the solution using a magnet to attract the metallic material; wherein the electrode material comprises:
at least one transition metal;
an electrolyte; and
lithium; and
wherein the first solvent comprises a single-composition or multi-composition polyol.

19 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . A method of recycling a battery comprising:
mixing, in a solution, an electrode material and a first solvent; heating the solution; reducing the electrode material in the solution to create a metallic material; extracting the metallic material from the solution; filtering a remaining portion of the solution to remove impurities; and condensing the filtered remaining portion of the solution to remove the first solvent and obtain a metal salt material; wherein the electrode material comprises at least one transition metal, an electrolyte, and a lithium-containing material.

35 - 36 . (canceled)

37 . The method of claim 34 further comprising washing the extracted metallic material with one or more washing solvents;
wherein heating comprises a reflux setup and lasts for 12 hours or greater;
wherein the first solvent comprises a single or multi-composition polyol;
wherein the metallic material comprises at least one transition metal; and
wherein the metal salt material comprises lithium carbonate.

38 - 39 . (canceled)

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein extracting the metallic material comprises a magnet attracted to the metallic material.

41 - 45 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Chen Hailong
• Ma Xuetian
• Tang Yuanzhi
• Xiong Shan

Classifications

• C22B5/00

  General methods of reducing to metals · CPC title

• C22B7/006

  Wet processes · CPC title

• H01M10/54 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• C22B26/12 Primary

  Obtaining lithium · CPC title

• C22B23/04

  by wet processes (recovery or separation of nickel or cobalt using organic agents C22B3/00) · CPC title