Direct selective leaching of lithium from industrial-grade black mass of waste lithium-ion batteries containing LiFePO cathodes.

Demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is projected to maintain unprecedented acceleration for decades, towards satisfying international climate and source objectives. LIB wastes pose a threat to the environment, but also may be considered a strategic, high-grade resource. Yet, recycling the black mass of waste LIBs, which contains plastic, C, Li, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cu, and Al, is very complex.

On the Structure and Lithium Adsorption Mechanism of Layered HTiO.

Layered HTiO has been studied as an ionic sieve material for the selective concentration of lithium from solutions. The accepted mechanism of lithium adsorption on HTiO ion sieves is that it occurs via Li-H ion exchange with no chemical bond breakage. However, in this work, we demonstrate that lithium adsorption on HTiO occurs via O-H bond breakage and the formation of O-Li bonds, contrary to previously proposed mechanisms.