Method for recovering lithium precursor from waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023416103-A1
Application number	US-202118255807-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 30, 2021
Priority date	Dec 2, 2020
Publication date	Dec 28, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for reducing waste by recovering a lithium precursor including: a) mixing a waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material with urea to prepare a first mixture; b) firing the first mixture to prepare a second mixture; and c) subjecting the second mixture to water washing to obtain lithium hydroxide.

First claim

1 . A method for reducing waste by recovering a lithium precursor, the method comprising:
a) mixing a waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material with urea to prepare a first mixture; b) firing the first mixture to prepare a second mixture containing lithium hydroxide; and c) subjecting the second mixture to water washing to separate a lithium precursor.

2 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein the firing temperature ranges from 450° C. to 600° C.

3 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein the mixing is performed in an inert gas atmosphere.

4 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein the water washing is performed at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 90° C.

5 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein a lithium hydroxide aqueous solution is produced through the water washing.

6 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein the subjecting further includes crystallizing lithium hydroxide.

7 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein the urea is mixed in an amount ranging from 5 to 50 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the positive electrode material.

8 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode material is represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
Li x Ni a Co b M (1-a-b) O y wherein in Chemical Formula 1, M is selected from the group consisting of Mn, Na, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ge, Sr, Ag, Ba, Zr, Nb, Mo, Al, Ga, and B or a combination thereof, 0<x≤1.1, 2≤y≤2.02, 0.5≤a≤Land 0≤b≤0.5.

9 . The method for reducing waste of claim 1 , wherein a recovery rate of lithium hydroxide from the waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material is 50% or more.

10 . A system for reducing waste by recovering a lithium precursor, the system comprising:
a first mixer for mixing a waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material with urea to prepare a first mixture; an oven for firing the first mixture to prepare a second mixture containing lithium hydroxide; and a second mixer for subjecting the second mixture to water washing to separate a lithium precursor.

11 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein the oven is configured to control the firing temperature in a range from 450° C. to 600° C.

12 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein the first mixer is configured to perform mixing in an inert gas atmosphere.

13 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein the second mixer is configured to perform the water washing at temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 90° C.

14 . The system for reducing waste of claim 13 , wherein, in the second mixer, a lithium hydroxide aqueous solution is produced through the water washing.

15 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein, in the second mixer, lithium hydroxide is crystalized.

16 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein, in the first mixer, the urea is mixed in an amount ranging from 5 to 50 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the positive electrode material.

17 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein, in the first mixer, the positive electrode material is represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
Li x Ni a Co b M (1-a-b) O y wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, M is selected from the group consisting of Mn, Na, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ge, Sr, Ag, Ba, Zr, Nb, Mo, Al, Ga, and B or a combination thereof, 0<x≤1.1, 2≤y≤2.02, 0.5≤a≤1, and 0≤b≤0.5.

18 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , wherein, in the second mixer, a recovery rate of lithium hydroxide from the waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material is 50% or more.

19 . The system for reducing waste of claim 10 , further comprising a mill for pulverizing the waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material.

20 . A method for reducing waste by recovering a lithium precursor from a waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material, the method comprising:
a) pulverizing the waste lithium secondary battery positive electrode material to produce a pulverized mixture containing lithium; b) dry mixing the pulverized mixture with urea to produce a first mixture; c) firing the second mixture to obtain a preliminary precursor mixture containing the lithium; d) washing the second mixture in water to produce a lithium hydroxide.

Assignees

• Sk Innovation Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Sukjoon
• Park Jiyun
• Yoon Jeongbae
• Lee Seungok
• Kim Jimin
• Son Sungreal

Classifications

• H01M6/52

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

• C01D1/30 Primary

  by crystallisation · CPC title

• H01M10/54 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/052

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• C01D15/02 Primary

  Oxides; Hydroxides · CPC title