Simultaneous Recovery of Ni, Co Metals and Li Compound from Spent LNCM Battery Black Powder through the Pyrometallurgical Approach

Pretreated black powder from spent LNCM-type Li-ion battery (LiB) was processed in a single-step smelting process to recover Co and Ni in an alloy and Li in a chloride, which was facilitated using various additives (BaCO3, K2CO3, CaCl2, or MgCl2). It was found that controlling a substantial amount of C in the black powder was essential for achieving effective separation between reduced metal and remaining oxide. Furthermore, chlorination was shown to be more effective for evaporation and recovery of Li in the oxide by adding chloride additives compared with the addition of oxide (in the form of carbonate) additives. Among the additives, the addition of CaCl2 was promising to separate Li in the form of LiCl(g) during the smelting, resulting in a Li recovery rate of 81.1% and a Li purity of 98.8%. This research provides valuable insights into the efficient recycling of spent LiBs, with an emphasis on Li recovery, which is becoming increasingly critical in the context of the growing importance of LiB recycling.