Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium

The recycling of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) through extractive pyrometallurgy is widely used, but a significant drawback is the loss of lithium to the slag. To address this, lithium‐bearing slag from an industrial LIB recycling plant is analyzed using wavelength dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, indu...

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Main Authors: Peter Cornelius Gantz, Louisa Panjiyar, Andreas Neumann, Michael Neumann, Hans Roggendorf, Ralf Wehrspohn, Stefan Stöber, Christiane Stephan‐Scherb
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-05-01
Series:Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202400338
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author Peter Cornelius Gantz
Louisa Panjiyar
Andreas Neumann
Michael Neumann
Hans Roggendorf
Ralf Wehrspohn
Stefan Stöber
Christiane Stephan‐Scherb
author_facet Peter Cornelius Gantz
Louisa Panjiyar
Andreas Neumann
Michael Neumann
Hans Roggendorf
Ralf Wehrspohn
Stefan Stöber
Christiane Stephan‐Scherb
author_sort Peter Cornelius Gantz
collection DOAJ
description The recycling of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) through extractive pyrometallurgy is widely used, but a significant drawback is the loss of lithium to the slag. To address this, lithium‐bearing slag from an industrial LIB recycling plant is analyzed using wavelength dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetry coupled infrared. The slag's chemical composition is complex, best described by the ternary system CaO–SiO2–Al2O3, with additional major components being Na2O, Fe2O3, MgO, V2O5, Mn2O3, and Cr2O3. The slag cone shows little chemical zonation and a relatively constant lithium content of Ø 0.82 mass%. The recycling slag shows a mineralogical composition typical of nonferrous slags (e.g., melilite, clinopyroxene, nepheline). Lithium is either bound in β‐eucryptite or, to a lesser extent, in lithium metasilicate. β‐eucryptite contains up to 5.51 mass% lithium stoichiometrically, which is more than typical lithium ores contain. Moreover, β‐eucryptite has potential for the engineering of artificial minerals strategy as an easily implementable lithium phase. β‐eucryptite forms in slags with lower overall lithium content, allowing for the use of slag modifiers that reduce the process temperature. Hence, β‐eucryptite could prove as efficient and feasible option for improving lithium recovery from smelting processes.
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spelling doaj-art-cc72aad5ecde4987ae80c5b04e43efcf2025-08-20T03:11:22ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Energy & Sustainability Research2699-94122025-05-0165n/an/a10.1002/aesr.202400338Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of LithiumPeter Cornelius Gantz0Louisa Panjiyar1Andreas Neumann2Michael Neumann3Hans Roggendorf4Ralf Wehrspohn5Stefan Stöber6Christiane Stephan‐Scherb7Institute for Geosciences and Geography Martin‐Luther‐University Halle‐Wittenberg 06120 Halle (Saale) GermanyInstitute for Geosciences and Geography Martin‐Luther‐University Halle‐Wittenberg 06120 Halle (Saale) GermanyInstitute for Geosciences and Geography Martin‐Luther‐University Halle‐Wittenberg 06120 Halle (Saale) GermanyNickelhütte Aue GmbH 08280 Aue GermanyCenter for Resources and Recycling (CRR) ITEL – Institute for Technologies and Economics of Lithium GmbH 06108 Halle (Saale) GermanyCenter for Resources and Recycling (CRR) ITEL – Institute for Technologies and Economics of Lithium GmbH 06108 Halle (Saale) GermanyInstitute for Geosciences and Geography Martin‐Luther‐University Halle‐Wittenberg 06120 Halle (Saale) GermanyInstitute for Geosciences and Geography Martin‐Luther‐University Halle‐Wittenberg 06120 Halle (Saale) GermanyThe recycling of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) through extractive pyrometallurgy is widely used, but a significant drawback is the loss of lithium to the slag. To address this, lithium‐bearing slag from an industrial LIB recycling plant is analyzed using wavelength dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetry coupled infrared. The slag's chemical composition is complex, best described by the ternary system CaO–SiO2–Al2O3, with additional major components being Na2O, Fe2O3, MgO, V2O5, Mn2O3, and Cr2O3. The slag cone shows little chemical zonation and a relatively constant lithium content of Ø 0.82 mass%. The recycling slag shows a mineralogical composition typical of nonferrous slags (e.g., melilite, clinopyroxene, nepheline). Lithium is either bound in β‐eucryptite or, to a lesser extent, in lithium metasilicate. β‐eucryptite contains up to 5.51 mass% lithium stoichiometrically, which is more than typical lithium ores contain. Moreover, β‐eucryptite has potential for the engineering of artificial minerals strategy as an easily implementable lithium phase. β‐eucryptite forms in slags with lower overall lithium content, allowing for the use of slag modifiers that reduce the process temperature. Hence, β‐eucryptite could prove as efficient and feasible option for improving lithium recovery from smelting processes.https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202400338β‐eucryptiteslithium‐ion batterieslithiumspyrometallurgiesrecyclingsslags
spellingShingle Peter Cornelius Gantz
Louisa Panjiyar
Andreas Neumann
Michael Neumann
Hans Roggendorf
Ralf Wehrspohn
Stefan Stöber
Christiane Stephan‐Scherb
Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium
Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research
β‐eucryptites
lithium‐ion batteries
lithiums
pyrometallurgies
recyclings
slags
title Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium
title_full Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium
title_fullStr Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium
title_full_unstemmed Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium
title_short Lithium‐Phase Identification in an Industrial Lithium‐Ion‐Battery Recycling Slag: Implications for the Recovery of Lithium
title_sort lithium phase identification in an industrial lithium ion battery recycling slag implications for the recovery of lithium
topic β‐eucryptites
lithium‐ion batteries
lithiums
pyrometallurgies
recyclings
slags
url https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202400338
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