Project Description

The need for LIBs has grown exponentially over the past three decades. The United States import most of the new materials needed for making LIBs. The LIB cathodes contain valuable critical materials. The current LIB recycling rate is less than 1%. Most of the waste LIB materials are landfilled.
This research focuses on recycling and reuse of End-of-Life LIBs. Conventional pyrometallurgical methods do not recover Li or Mn. Hydrometallurgical methods based on solvent extraction for purification require harsh chemicals and have large environmental footprints. This project aims to develop effective and eco-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 purified with efficient chromatography methods. The results of this project will help protect the environment and close the circular economy loop.

Start Date

January 2025

Post Doc Qualifications

Strong background in experimental methods, including material characterization, analytical methods, mass transfer processes, and process modeling. 

Co-Advisors

Prof. N.-H. Linda Wang, wangn@purdue.edu, Chemical Engineering.
Prof. Haiyan Wang, hwang00@purdue.edu, Materials Engineering 

Bibliography

1. Choi, H., D. Harvey, Y. Ding, and N.-H.L. Wang, "Constant-Pattern Design Method for the Separation of Ternary Mixtures of Rare Earth Elements Using Ligand-Assisted Displacement Chromatography," J. of Chromatography A, 1580, 49-62 (2018).
2. 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).
3. Ding, Y. and N.-H.L. Wang, "Constant-Pattern Design Method for Displacement Chromatography," J. of Chromatography A, 1656 (2021), 462-482.
4. Ding, Y., D. Harvey, and N.-H.L. Wang, "Multi-dimensional Ligand-Assisted Chromatography Method for the Purification of Rare Earth Elements and Other Metal Ions from Waste Magnets," PCT/US Patent Application, January 2021.
5. Ding, Y., G. Schuster, and N.-H.L. Wang, "Multi-dimensional, Multi-mode Chromatography Methods for Producing High-Purity, High-Yield Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Manganese Salts from Waste LIBs and Other Feedstocks," PCT/US Patent Application, 03/2023.