Leaching of Cobalt and Nickel from Metallic Mixtures by Inorganic and Organic Acid Solutions

Abstract

Leaching experiments from single metal and metallic mixtures were conducted to develop a process for the recovery of cobalt, copper, and nickel in spent lithium ion batteries. Inorganic and organic acid solutions without oxidizing agents were employed. No copper was dissolved in the absence of an oxidizing agent in the leaching solutions. The leaching condition to completely dissolve single metal of cobalt and nickel was determined based on acid concentration, reaction temperature and time, and pulp density. The leaching condition to dissolve all of cobalt and nickel from the metallic mixtures was also obtained. Leaching of the metallic mixture with methanesulfonic acid led to selective dissolution of cobalt at low temperatures.