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Investigating PVDF Binder Influence on Froth Flotation
Efficiency of Black Mass from Lithium Ion Battery Recycling—
Cyrene vs. Pyrolysis Treatment
Aliza Marie Salces
Université de Lorraine, GeoRessources, France
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR),
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), Germany
Marc Simon HendersonJacques Eksteen
Western Australian School of Mines (WASM): Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Australia
Alvaro José Rodríguez-Medina, Martin Rudolph
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR),
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), Germany
Anna Vanderbruggen
Université de Lorraine, GeoRessources, France
ABSTRACT: The comminution of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) produces a powder containing the active cell
components, commonly referred to as “black mass.” Recently, flotation has emerged as a promising method
to simultaneously recover graphite and cathode active particles (CAMs) from black mass, thus increasing
the recycling rate of LIBs. However, to ensure an effective separation, both CAMs and graphite particles
must be free of organic binder (i.e., polyvinylidene fluoride) which gives them similar wettabilities. While
pyrolysis pre-treatment has proven effective in removing organic binders, it raises environmental concerns,
including generation and release of toxic hydrogen fluoride gas and carcinogenic polynuclear and halogenated
hydrocarbons. In response, this study proposes an environmentally benign method for the removal of an organic
binder: using the non-toxic and green solvent Cyrene™ (dihydroleveglucosenone). Comparative analysis were
performed by pretreating industrial black mass with either pyrolysis or Cyrene™ solvent before froth flotation,
aiming to provide insights into a sustainable approach to enhance LIBs recycling.
INTRODUCTION
Froth flotation is a promising technique for the separa-
tion of black mass components from lithium-ion batteries
before downstream metallurgical recycling processes. This
is feasible as the main black mass components -cathode
active materials (CAMs) and graphite particles are reported
to have significant difference in wettability (Vanderbruggen
et al., 2021 Verdugo et al., 2022). However, the presence of
polymeric binders such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),
which holds the active material together, complicates this
ideal behavior as PVDF imparts hydrophobicity to both
graphite and CAMS. For efficient separation by froth
Investigating PVDF Binder Influence on Froth Flotation
Efficiency of Black Mass from Lithium Ion Battery Recycling—
Cyrene vs. Pyrolysis Treatment
Aliza Marie Salces
Université de Lorraine, GeoRessources, France
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR),
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), Germany
Marc Simon HendersonJacques Eksteen
Western Australian School of Mines (WASM): Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Australia
Alvaro José Rodríguez-Medina, Martin Rudolph
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR),
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF), Germany
Anna Vanderbruggen
Université de Lorraine, GeoRessources, France
ABSTRACT: The comminution of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) produces a powder containing the active cell
components, commonly referred to as “black mass.” Recently, flotation has emerged as a promising method
to simultaneously recover graphite and cathode active particles (CAMs) from black mass, thus increasing
the recycling rate of LIBs. However, to ensure an effective separation, both CAMs and graphite particles
must be free of organic binder (i.e., polyvinylidene fluoride) which gives them similar wettabilities. While
pyrolysis pre-treatment has proven effective in removing organic binders, it raises environmental concerns,
including generation and release of toxic hydrogen fluoride gas and carcinogenic polynuclear and halogenated
hydrocarbons. In response, this study proposes an environmentally benign method for the removal of an organic
binder: using the non-toxic and green solvent Cyrene™ (dihydroleveglucosenone). Comparative analysis were
performed by pretreating industrial black mass with either pyrolysis or Cyrene™ solvent before froth flotation,
aiming to provide insights into a sustainable approach to enhance LIBs recycling.
INTRODUCTION
Froth flotation is a promising technique for the separa-
tion of black mass components from lithium-ion batteries
before downstream metallurgical recycling processes. This
is feasible as the main black mass components -cathode
active materials (CAMs) and graphite particles are reported
to have significant difference in wettability (Vanderbruggen
et al., 2021 Verdugo et al., 2022). However, the presence of
polymeric binders such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF),
which holds the active material together, complicates this
ideal behavior as PVDF imparts hydrophobicity to both
graphite and CAMS. For efficient separation by froth