Author(s): Nogueira, Carlos ; Neiva Correia, Maria Joana ; Margarido, Fernanda ; Plancha, Maria João ; Pedrosa, Fátima ; Gonçalves, Ana ; Silva, Clara ; Silva, Sara
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.9/6099
Origin: Repositório do LNEG
Subject(s): Li-Ion batterie; Recycling; Pre-treatment; Hydrometallurgy; Pyrometallurgy
ABSTRACT: A short review of battery recycling technologies is presented. Main components and materials of battery cells, modules and packs are identified, highlighting their compositions and contents. Main component of packs is aluminium, followed by the cathode materials, anode materials, copper and polymers. Safe discharge of the spent batteries is mandatory, and the subsequent dismantling allows separation and valorisation of the aluminium casings, electronic components, polymers and steel. The resulting cells or modules are pretreated by shearing and drying, and the solvent and evolving gases shall be safely treated and disposed. Physical separation operations, including secondary shredding, sieving, gravity separation, among others, are applied to separate the Al, Cu and polymer fragments from the electrode powders (black mass). Metallurgical processing, by hydro or pyrometallurgy, allows further recovery of the metals in pure forms, which are then sent back to the market. Nowadays, several hydrometallurgical processes are being introduced, allowing high recovery yields of the most important metals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese. By this way, a more sustainable management of the resources can be achieved.
