Positive electrode active material using spent battery leachate for secondary battery and method of preparing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025313917-A1
Application number	US-202418650585-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 30, 2024
Priority date	Apr 4, 2024
Publication date	Oct 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Proposed are a positive electrode active material using a spent battery leachate for secondary batteries and a method of preparing the same. Using a spent battery leachate enables the positive electrode active material for secondary batteries, the positive electrode active material having a composition of Li(Ni a Co b Al c )O 2 (where a+b+c=1) including Ni, Co, and Al and being prepared from a precursor having a composition of Ni a Co b (where a+b=1), to be prepared. As a result, some raw materials can be replaced with the spent battery leachate when preparing the positive electrode active material for secondary batteries, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and solving environmental problems.

First claim

1 . A positive electrode active material using a spent battery leachate for a secondary battery, the positive electrode active material having a composition of Li(Ni a Co b Al c )O 2 (where a+b+c=1) comprising Ni, Co, and Al and being prepared from a precursor having a composition of Ni a Co b (where a+b=1).

2 . The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein the precursor has a composition comprising (Na, Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg, Ca, Mn) x (where 0.0001≤x<0.05, and a+b+x=1) in addition to the Ni a Co b composition (where a+b=1).

3 . The positive electrode active material of claim 2 , wherein the positive electrode active material has a composition comprising (Na, Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg, Ca, Mn) x (where 0.0001≤x<0.05, and a+b+c+x=1) in addition to the ternary Li(Ni a Co b Al c )O 2 composition (where a+b+c=1).

4 . The positive electrode active material of claim 1 , wherein the positive electrode active material has an average particle diameter in a range of 4 to 15 μm.

5 . A method of preparing a positive electrode active material using a spent battery leachate for a secondary battery, the method comprising:
preparing a spent battery leachate; preparing a transition metal solution containing a predetermined amount or more of Ni by increasing a volume of the resulting leachate; and reacting a mixture of the transition metal solution, an ammonia chelating agent, and a basic aqueous solution in a reactor to prepare a precursor of a positive electrode active material.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein in the reacting of the mixture, the precursor having a composition of Ni a Co b (where a+b=1) is prepared.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the precursor has a composition comprising (Na, Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg, Ca, Mn) x (where 0.0001≤x<0.05, and a+b+x=1) in addition to the Ni a Co b composition (where a+b=1).

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the preparing of the leachate comprises:
a leachate preparation process to prepare a leachate by subjecting valuable metal powders obtained from a spent battery to acid treatment in a reducing atmosphere; and an impurity removal process to remove impurities from the leachate.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the impurity removal process comprises:
a precipitation process to remove impurities comprising Al, Fe, and Cu present in the leachate by adding a basic solution; and a solvent extraction process to remove impurities comprising Mn, Ca, Zn, and Mg from the resulting leachate, from which some of the impurities are removed through the precipitation process, by using an acid organic solvent.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein in the solvent extraction process, a mixed solvent of di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid and kerosene is used.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the impurity removal process further comprises a leachate recovery process to recover NiSO 4 , CoSO 4 , and MnSO 4 from the resulting extraction solution obtained through the solvent extraction process by using the acid organic solvent, the extraction solution comprising Ni, Co, and Mn extracts containing Ni, Co, and Mn, respectively.

12 . The method of claim 5 , wherein in the preparing of the transition metal solution, the transition metal solution is prepared by mixing 28 to 35 wt % of the leachate and 65 to 72 wt % of a metal solution for a volume increase to increase proportions of Ni and Co in 100 wt % of the transition metal solution.

13 . The method of claim 5 , wherein in the reacting of the mixture, the precursor capable of preparing the positive electrode active material is prepared by mixing the transition metal solution, the ammonia chelating agent, and the basic aqueous solution as a reaction solution in the reactor and then reacting the resulting reaction solution for 10 to 30 hours in a nitrogen atmosphere.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein in the reacting of the mixture, a molar ratio of ammonia to a metal salt is in a range of 0.5 to 1.0,
the reaction solution has a pH in a range of 10.0 to 12.0 and a temperature in a range of 40° C. to 60° C., and the reaction solution is stirred with a stirrer at a speed in a range of 700 to 1500 rpm.

15 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising sintering a mixture of the resulting precursor being washed to remove impurities, a lithium salt, and an aluminum salt through heat treatment to prepare the positive electrode active material.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the sintering of the mixture comprises:
a primary sintering process to keep the resulting mixture obtained by mixing the precursor, the lithium salt, and the aluminum salt at a temperature in a range of 300° C. to 500° C. for 3 to 10 hours; and a secondary sintering process to sinter the resulting product obtained through the primary sintering process at a temperature in a range of 700° C. to 850° C. for 13 to 20 hours.

Assignees

• Hanwha Corp

Inventors

• Kwon Kyungjung
• Kim Seoa
• Koo Namho
• Kim Chanmin
• Park Sanghyuk

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M2004/028

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• C01P2004/61

  Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer · CPC title

• C22B3/26

  by liquid-liquid extraction using organic compounds · CPC title

• C22C19/056

  with the maximum Cr content being at least 10% but less than 20% · CPC title