3180 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
use. Indeed, these results suggest a potential for direct recy-
cling of CAMs when Cyrene pre-treatment is used, as they
are not chemically transformed in comparison to pyrolysis
as flotation pre-treatment.
CONCLUSION
In this work, a green Cyrene ™ solvent is proposed as an
environmentally friendly froth flotation pretreatment step
to remove PVDF from active materials and enable the
effective separation of graphite and CAMs. Based on the
results, Cyrene pre-treatment in conjunction with high-
intensity attrition, demonstrated a high potential to achieve
better flotation selectivity than mechanical pre-treatment.
Parameters such as temperature, time, and Cyrene-solids
ratio will require optimization to improve the selectivity.
The separation of the Cyrene-PVDF mixture (via filtration
or centrifugation) from the black mass also poses a chal-
lenge to the pre-treatment process. Pyrolysis pre-treatment
exhibited the best-case result for flotation selectivity. Still,
the main advantage of Cyrene when compared to thermal
pre-treatment is the lack of toxic off-gasses release. There is
also potential for direct recycling as CAMs are not trans-
formed during Cyrene treatment and lithium is retained in
its structure.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Deutscher
Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) and Future
Battery Industries CRC (FBI-CRC) for funding the RES-
65109 RESTORE Project (Sustainable Recycling and
Recovery of Electrode Materials from Spent lithium-ion
Batteries).
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative recovery, Ni+Co+Mn (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative recovery, Carbon (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative recovery, Ni+Co+Mn (%)
Cyrene Mechanical Pyrolysis
Figure 4. Grade and recovery curve in the overflow product -(A) NMC and (B) Graphite, and (c) their selectivity curve
Cumulative
grade,
Ni+Mn+Co
(%)
Cumulative
grade,
Carbon
(%)
Cumulative
recovery,
Carbon
(%)
use. Indeed, these results suggest a potential for direct recy-
cling of CAMs when Cyrene pre-treatment is used, as they
are not chemically transformed in comparison to pyrolysis
as flotation pre-treatment.
CONCLUSION
In this work, a green Cyrene ™ solvent is proposed as an
environmentally friendly froth flotation pretreatment step
to remove PVDF from active materials and enable the
effective separation of graphite and CAMs. Based on the
results, Cyrene pre-treatment in conjunction with high-
intensity attrition, demonstrated a high potential to achieve
better flotation selectivity than mechanical pre-treatment.
Parameters such as temperature, time, and Cyrene-solids
ratio will require optimization to improve the selectivity.
The separation of the Cyrene-PVDF mixture (via filtration
or centrifugation) from the black mass also poses a chal-
lenge to the pre-treatment process. Pyrolysis pre-treatment
exhibited the best-case result for flotation selectivity. Still,
the main advantage of Cyrene when compared to thermal
pre-treatment is the lack of toxic off-gasses release. There is
also potential for direct recycling as CAMs are not trans-
formed during Cyrene treatment and lithium is retained in
its structure.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Deutscher
Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) and Future
Battery Industries CRC (FBI-CRC) for funding the RES-
65109 RESTORE Project (Sustainable Recycling and
Recovery of Electrode Materials from Spent lithium-ion
Batteries).
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative recovery, Ni+Co+Mn (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative recovery, Carbon (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative recovery, Ni+Co+Mn (%)
Cyrene Mechanical Pyrolysis
Figure 4. Grade and recovery curve in the overflow product -(A) NMC and (B) Graphite, and (c) their selectivity curve
Cumulative
grade,
Ni+Mn+Co
(%)
Cumulative
grade,
Carbon
(%)
Cumulative
recovery,
Carbon
(%)