Environmental-friendly leaching for lithium recovery from spent coin cells batteries

The proliferation of electronic devices has led to a surge in electronic waste, prominently including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Lithium-ion batteries are an important source of strategic elements; the lack of proper recycling of these batteries causes metal ions to enter the environment. Recycling technologies are thus imperative to mitigate these risks and recover valuable metals. Among various methods, hydrometallurgical processes offer a promising avenue for LIBs recycling. However, conventional methods employing mineral acids pose environmental risks. In this study, we present a novel hydrometallurgical approach utilizing citric acid as the leaching medium and hydrogen peroxide (H۲O۲) as the reducing agent for lithium recovery from spent coin cell batteries. Results indicate that a citric acid concentration of ۰.۵ M, a ۵% volume fraction of H۲O۲, and a pulp density of ۱۰ g/L yield the highest leaching efficiencies. This environmentally-friendly approach holds promise for sustainable lithium recovery from spent coin cell batteries, contributing to resource conservation and pollution mitigation.

Keywords:

Spent coin cell , Leaching , Lithium recovery , Citric acid