Project Description:

The need for lithium-ion batteries (LIB) has grown exponentially over the past three decades. The LIB cathodes contain valuable critical materials, Li, Ni, Mn, and Co (LNMC). The current LIB recycling rate is less than 1%. Most of the waste LIB materials are landfilled. Conventional pyrometallurgical methods do not recover Li or Mn. Hydrometallurgical methods are costly, require harsh chemicals, generate large amounts of wastes, and have large environmental footprints. This research project aims to develop effective and environmentally friendly recycling methods for LIB cathodes using a two-pronged strategy: (1) repair, recondition, and reactivate spent cathodes, and (2) recover high-purity LNMC from the residual materials that cannot be repaired or reactivated. The crystal structures and phase compositions of the cathode materials will be characterized with XRD and SEM/EDX. Reactivation processes will be developed to restore the appropriate phase structures of the cathode materials. Nondestructive crystal-structure recovery will be achieved using either a direct solid-state sintering or a hydrothermal method. The residual materials will be converted to soluble salts, and efficient chromatography methods will be developed for recovering high-purity individual LNMC elements with high yields and little waste. This research focuses on recycling and reuse of critical materials and developing efficient and economical separation and purification technologies, which will help protect the environment and close the circular economy loop.

Start Date:

January 2023 or later

Postdoc Qualifications:

Promising candidates should have Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or Materials Science, with strong research background in ceramic processing and materials characterization methods, battery assembly and testing, chemical processing and synthesis, or separation/ purification methods.

Co-Advisors:

Nien-Hwa Linda Wang, wangn@purdue.edu
Haiyan Wang, hwang00@purdue.edu, MSE

Bibliography:

1. Ding, Y., D. Harvey, and N.-H. L. Wang, “Two-zone ligand-assisted displacement chromatography for producing high-purity praseodymium, neodymium, and dysprosium with high yield and high productivity from crude mixtures derived from waste magnets,” Green Chemistry, 22, 3769-3783 (2020).
2. Ding, Y. and N.-H. L. Wang, “Constant-Pattern Design Method for Displacement Chromatography,” J. of Chromatography A, 1656 (2021) 462482.