Method for Recovery of Perfluorinated Lithium Compounds from Lithium-Ion Batteries

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This patent discloses a method for recovering perfluorinated lithium compounds, specifically those used as electrolytes (such as lithium hexafluorophosphate or lithium tetrafluoroborate), from spent lithium-ion batteries. The process involves thermally decomposing the used electrolyte to form gaseous and solid products, then reacting these products in an engineered electrolyte medium to re-form the original valuable lithium salt, which can then be purified and reused in new batteries.

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• Recycling facilities processing end-of-life lithium-ion batteries to recover valuable lithium compounds.
• Battery manufacturers seeking to use recycled electrolytes for new lithium-ion cell production.
• Industries aiming to reduce the environmental impact of battery waste through closed-loop recycling systems.
• Companies targeting compliance with increasing regulations and recycling quotas for batteries and critical raw materials.
• Producers of electric vehicles or stationary battery storage systems that generate large volumes of spent batteries.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables high-yield (over 93%) and high-purity (up to 98%) recovery of perfluorinated lithium salts, essential for battery electrolytes, reducing resource loss.
• Decreases dependence on costly primary raw materials by recycling lithium salts directly back into electrolytes, resulting in cost savings.
• Minimizes hazardous waste and environmental impact by preventing the destruction of valuable compounds and avoiding dangerous byproducts like hydrofluoric acid.
• Integrates smoothly with established battery recycling processes without significant additional costs or changes.
• Supports circular economy and sustainability goals by ensuring that more battery materials are recuperated and reused.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for recovering a perfluorinated lithium compound from an electrolyte of a lithium-ion battery. The method comprises the steps of: (a) thermally treating the electrolyte such that the perfluorinated lithium compound is decomposed to obtain a first compound as a gaseous reaction product and a second compound as a solid reaction product; (b) providing an electrolyte matrix which contains the second compound; and (c) leading the first compound obtained in step (a) to the electrolyte matrix, the first compound obtained in step (a) being reacted with the second compound contained in the electrolyte matrix provided in step (b), to form the perfluorinated lithium compound.