Metal Resource Recycling in the Battery Industry

In China, the recycling of ternary cathode materials primarily follows hydrometallurgical routes. Through multi-stage separation and impurity removal processes, metal ions can be efficiently recovered and used to produce ternary precursors. HAIPU offers customized solutions for oil and boron removal from nickel-cobalt solutions, as well as lithium-sodium separation from lithium precipitation mother liquor.

In the recycling process of ternary lithium battery cathode materials, Jiangsu HAIPU's independently developed high-performance specialty adsorbents and automated processing technologies demonstrate significant advantages in oil and TOC removel from ternary lithium liquid after separation and purification and multistage extraction preparation of battery-grade lithium products, and lithium carbonate recovery from lithium precipitation mother liquor.

During the production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials, significant amounts of wastewater are generated from processes such as washing, cooling, and exhaust gas treatment. This wastewater contains pollutants such as phosphates, which can severely harm aquatic ecosystems if discharged. Additionally, the wastewater contains recoverable resources like lithium ions, necessitating proper treatment. HAIPU's specialized resin products for phosphate resource recovery can selectively recover phosphates, addressing both environmental protection and phosphate resource recycling needs.

HAIPU is committed to efficient recycling of LFP cathode materials by offering solutions such as selective removal of fluorine and calcium/magnesium from lithium sulfate, selective removal of aluminum from iron phosphate, and lithium hydroxide production via bipolar membrane technology. These solutions provide strong technical support for customers in producing battery-grade lithium salts.

Resin adsorption processes can be flexibly integrated between various production stages, effectively meeting the impurity removal and purification needs of lithium battery recycling solutions.

In the recycling process of LFP cathode materials, challenges such as the introduction of calcium and magnesium during impurity removal, the introduction of fluorine ions from the mixture of cathode materials and electrolytes, and the high metal impurity content in iron phosphate solutions recovery are common. Jiangsu HAIPU's independently developed high-performance specialty adsorbents and automated processing technologies can be strategically applied after each stage, demonstrating exceptional performance in removing calcium/magnesium and fluorine from lithium sulfate, producing lithium hydroxide, and purifying iron phosphate solutions.

After disassembly, crushing, and screening spent lithium batteries, black mass is obtained. Through hydrometallurgical processes, metals such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium are separated from carbon. Following leaching, impurity removal, extraction, adsorption, and evaporation, battery-grade lithium carbonate, nickel sulfate, and cobalt sulfate solutions are produced.

Compared to traditional methods, bipolar membrane technology produces higher-purity lithium hydroxide by supplying hydroxide ions without introducing sodium ions. Additionally, the operating cost for monohydrate lithium hydroxide (per ton of alkali) is reduced by half compared to conventional processes.

Project Background:

A new energy technology company in Jiangxi Province processes an ammonium sulfate feed solution at a rate of 80 m³/h. The original solution contains approximately 400 mg/L of nickel and cobalt. The client requires the removal of nickel and cobalt, with the concentrated nickel and cobalt recovered from the desorption liquid as valuable resources.

Summary of HAIPU Product and Process Advantages:

The high-performance specialty adsorbent HP4010, independently developed by Jiangsu HAIPU Functional Materials Co., Ltd., was adopted for this project. After adsorption treatment, the nickel and cobalt concentrations in the feed solution were reduced to below 2 mg/L. The purified ammonium sulfate solution, after heavy metal removal, is then fed into the MVR (Mechanical Vapor Recompression) system to produce ammonium sulfate crystals of higher purity.

Project Background:

A lithium battery recycling company in Quzhou, Zhejiang, uses extractants such as P204 and P507 during the purification process of cobalt sulfate feed solution. Residual extractants and sulfonated kerosene remain in the cobalt sulfate solution, resulting in high total organic carbon (TOC) levels. After two-stage activated carbon pretreatment, the TOC level in the feed solution reaches 120 mg/L, significantly impacting the synthesis of the precursor materials.

The HP268 adsorption treatment process, combined with steam stripping regeneration technology, can treat 70 cubic meters of cobalt sulfate solution daily, effectively reducing the TOC concentration in the feed solution from approximately 120 mg/L to about 40 mg/L in the treated effluent. Compared to the activated carbon treatment process, this process is more stable, and the material can be regenerated and reused multiple times through desorption. Additionally, no new impurities are introduced into the solution during the treatment process.

Project Background:

As nickel salt products are increasingly used in lithium-ion battery cathode materials, the requirements for impurity content have become more stringent. During the production of high-quality nickel sulfate solutions by new energy companies, it is necessary to remove impurities and reduce the silicon content to meet the high standards demanded by advanced battery materials.

Summary of HAIPU Product Process Advantages:

By utilizing the HP4800 adsorption treatment process, the silica content in nickel sulfate solution is deeply reduced from ~30 mg/L to ~7 mg/L, significantly enhancing the purity of the solution and improving product competitiveness. This process features high selectivity for silica removal with minimal interference from other coexisting anions. Additionally, the system has a small footprint, a high degree of automation, and simple operation, making it an efficient and reliable solution for silica removal.

Project Background:

The client operates in the lithium battery recycling industry. The lithium sulfate solution contains fluoride ions at a concentration of ≤250 mg/L. The high level of impurity ions does not meet the quality requirements for the subsequent production of battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Summary of HAIPU Product Process Advantages:

After treatment with HAIPU's specialized fluoride removal adsorbent, the fluoride content in the effluent is reduced to ≤1 mg/L, meeting the client's requirements. There is no lithium loss before and after the treatment, and no other impurities are introduced into the lithium sulfate solution, significantly enhancing the quality of the material. The system operates automatically, with low operating costs, effectively reducing production and operation expenses.

Project Background:

In the client's extraction process for producing cobalt sulfate and nickel sulfate solutions, the increasing requirements from the product side have resulted in boron content exceeding 2 mg/L, which fails to meet the external sales requirements for the final products.

Summary of HAIPU Product Process Advantages:

To further enhance the purity of the cobalt sulfate and nickel sulfate solutions, the client adopted a resin adsorption process for deep boron removal. The boron content was successfully reduced from 10 mg/L in the feed to less than 2 mg/L in the effluent. This project utilized sulfuric acid for desorption, ensuring no introduction of other impurity ions while maintaining high selectivity for boron adsorption. As a result, the loss of cobalt and nickel in the solution was completely avoided, ensuring the quality and integrity of the material.

Project Background:

During the process of lithium battery recycling, a new energy company in Anhui produces sulfuric acid ammonium solutions from the cleaning of separators and casings. These solutions contain valuable metal ions such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese, which need to be removed and recovered. The treated effluent will then be reused in the production process.

Summary of HAIPU Product Process Advantages:

By adopting the HP4040 adsorption treatment process, nickel (<10 mg/L), cobalt (<10 mg/L), and manganese (<50 mg/L) in the solution are effectively reduced to below 1 mg/L. This ensures that the ammonium sulfate solution meets the required standards for reuse.

This adsorption process utilizes the HP4020 chelating resin, which exhibits high selectivity for nickel, cobalt, and manganese. The resin has a large adsorption capacity, a long regeneration cycle, a small footprint, and low operating costs. This not only ensures efficient treatment but also achieves the recycling and reuse of resources, making it an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution.

Project Background:

The client operates in the lithium battery recycling industry. The ferric phosphate solution contains 200~300 mg/L of Al ions, which is too high to meet the requirements for the material to be reused in the production line

Summary of HAIPU Product Process Advantages:

After treatment with HAIPU's specialized aluminum removal adsorbent, the aluminum (Al) content in the effluent is reduced to ≤50 mg/L, meeting the client's requirements. The ferric phosphate solution retains its purity without the introduction of any additional impurities before and after treatment, thereby enhancing the quality of the material. The system operates automatically, featuring a simple and efficient process that ensures stable and reliable operation.

A leading domestic automotive company's  encountered high calcium and magnesium ion concentrations in a lithium sulfate solution during the production of a 30,000-ton annual lithium carbonate project. The flow rate of the lithium sulfate solution was approximately 75 cubic meters per hour, and its calcium and magnesium ion content did not meet the requirements for subsequent production processes. Therefore, it was necessary to deeply remove calcium and magnesium ions through adsorption without introducing new impurities, allowing the lithium sulfate solution to continue as a product. By adopting high-performance specialty adsorbent materials independently developed by HAIPU Functional Materials Co., Ltd., the concentration of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ was reduced from 50 ppm to ≤5 ppm, ensuring that the treated effluent met the client's specifications.

A listed lithium industry group in Sichuan has a production line with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons of lithium salts. A stream of purified lithium sulfate solution requires secondary purification treatment using an ion exchange resin system. The processing volume of this stream is approximately 120 cubic meters per hour. The calcium and magnesium ion content in the purified lithium sulfate solution does not meet the standards, with an incoming calcium and magnesium ion concentration of about 45 mg/L. The requirement is to reduce the total calcium and magnesium content to below 10 mg/L.

By adopting the high-performance specialty adsorbent HP4010 independently developed by HAIPU Functional Materials Co., Ltd., the lithium sulfate solution underwent adsorption-based calcium and magnesium removal treatment. Afterward, the treated solution was returned to the production line for subsequent lithium precipitation operations. The owner procured a complete resin adsorption process to deeply purify the lithium sulfate solution, improving the quality of the final product.