Selective recovery of lithium from spent lithium-ion battery by an emission-free sulfation roasting strategy.

As the economy recovered from the COVID-19 epidemic, the price of Li 2 CO 3 skyrocketed to the highest. Recovery of lithium from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is significant for addressing lithium shortage and environmental issues. Sulfation roasting is often accused of being unsustainable and not environmentally friendly due to the consumption of expensive sulfation reagents and emission of SO 2. Herein, a novel and green recycling process for selective separation of lithium from spent LiMn 2 O 4 (LMO) batteries was proposed based on a SO 2 emission free sulfation roasting with waste copperas. Lithium in the cathode power were selectively sulfated into soluble Li 2 SO 4 with a conversion of 99.50%, while manganese was riched as insoluble oxides. At low temperature (e.g. 400 °C), LMO were difficult to be sulfated due to the limited sulfation ability of SO 4 2- and mass transfer. When the roasting temperature reached 700 °C, SO 2 was produced and the generated SO 2 reacted in situ with the LMO to form Li 2 SO 4 and MnSO 4 , preventing SO 2 emissions into the atmosphere. As temperature continued to increase, the MnSO 4 acted as a sulfation reagent and sulfated the unreacted LMO. All the sulfur was immigrated in Li 2 SO 4 , rather than being emitted as SO 2. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]