Resources Recycling (자원리싸이클링)

The Korean Institute of Resources Recycling (한국자원리싸이클링학회)
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Feasibility Study of Methanesulfonic Acid (MSA), an Alternative Lixiviant to Improve Conventional Sulfuric Acid Leaching of NCM Black Mass

NCM Black Mass 황산침출 개선을 위한 대체침출제 메탄술폰산의 적용가능성 연구

  • Hyewon Jung (Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Jeonbuk National University) ;
  • Jeseung Lee (Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Jeonbuk National University) ;
  • Ganghoon Song (Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Jeonbuk National University) ;
  • Minseo Park (Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Jeonbuk National University) ;
  • Junmo Ahn (Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Jeonbuk National University)
  • 정혜원 (전북대학교 자원.에너지공학과) ;
  • 이제승 (전북대학교 자원.에너지공학과) ;
  • 송강훈 (전북대학교 자원.에너지공학과) ;
  • 박민서 (전북대학교 자원.에너지공학과) ;
  • 안준모 (전북대학교 자원.에너지공학과)
  • Received : 2024.01.24
  • Accepted : 2024.02.19
  • Published : 2024.02.28
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Abstract

Critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt and lithium, are known as materials for cathodic active materials of lithium ion batteries. The consumption of the minerals is expected to grow with increasing the demands of electric vehicles, resulting from carbon neutrality. Especially, the demand for LIB (lithium ion battery) recycling is expected to increase to meet the supply of nickel, cobalt and lithium for LIB. The recycling of EOL (end-of-life) LIB can be achieved by leaching EOL LIB using inorganic acid such as HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4, which are regarded as hazardous materials. In the present study, the potential use of MSA (Methanesulfonic acid), as an alternative lixiviant replacing sulfuric acid was investigated. In addition, leaching behaviors of NCM black mass leaching with MSA was also investigated by studying various leaching factors such as chemical concentration, leaching time, pulp density (P/D) and temperatures. The leaching efficiency of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), lithium (Li), and manganese (Mn) from LIB was enhanced by increasing concentration of lixiviant and reductant, leaching time and temperature. The maximum leaching of the metals was above 99% at 80℃. In addition, MSA can replace sulfuric acid to recover Ni, Co, Li, Mn from NCM black mass.

핵심광물인 니켈, 코발트, 리튬은 NCM계 리튬이온배터리(이하 LIB)의 양극소재로 알려져 있다. 탄소중립 기조에 따라 전기자동차의 보급량 증가로 핵심광물 수요도 증가할 것으로 예상된다. 하지만, LIB용 핵심광물 Li, Co, Ni의 수요대비 공급 부족으로 인해, 폐리튬이온배터리(EOL LIB)의 리싸이클링 수요가 증가할 것으로 예상된다. EOL LIB(폐 LIB) 재활용은 유해화학물질 무기산 침출제인 염산(HCl), 질산(HNO3), 황산(H2SO4)을 침출공정에 적용하여 재활용한다. 본 연구에서는 친환경 대체침출제 메탄술폰산(이하 MSA)의 적용 가능성을 검토하였다. 또한, 침출제 농도, 환원제 농도, 침출시간, 광액농도(P/D), 온도 등의 침출인자가 NCM Black mass 침출에 미치는 영향을 연구하였다. 침출실험 결과, 침출제와 환원제 농도, 침출시간, 침출온도가 증가함에 따라 목적금속 Ni, Li, Co, Mn의 침출률이 향상됨을 확인하였고, 금속의 최대 침출률은 80℃에서 99% 이상으로 나타났다. 또한, MSA는 NCM Black mass 대상 침출에 적용하여 Ni, Li, Co, Mn을 회수할 수 있음을 확인하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No.RS-2023-00212245). Also, this research was supported by "Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS)" through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE) (2023RIS-008).

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