Obtaining Nickel and Cobalt from Spent NiMH Batteries

Abstract

Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries represent a great metal value. Their recycling is therefore important not only for environmen - tal, but also for economic reasons. NiMH batteries used in this study were provided by a Czech company, which is responsible for collecting this type of wastes in the Czech Republic. The batteries were processed in a cutting mill. From the resulting material, the fraction <0.5 mm was obtained by sieving. Electrode mass of NiMH batteries was treated hydrometallurgically in order to obtain metal values. A mixture of electrode mass originating from different types of batteries contained 51.0% Ni, 5.9% Co, 1.1% Zn, 0.7% Fe, 2.18% Mn, 9.2% La, 4.6% Ce, 0.7% Pr and 2.3% Nd. Leaching of the electrode mass was performed in 1 and 2 mol/L H 2 SO 4 at liquid-to-solid ratios 10:1 or 20:1 and laboratory temperature as well as at 60 and 80°C. Extractions of 91.5% Ni, 92.6% Co and more than 97.5% rare earth metals (RE) were achieved. More than 99% RE were removed from the leach liquor using hydrolytic precipita - tion with NaOH up to pH = 1.2. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) in low aromatic solvent was used as the extractant in the solvent extraction process for impurities removal from leach liquors after RE precipitation. Removal of 99.9% Fe, 94.5% Zn and 43.3% Mn was achieved when single-stage extraction was applied. When using two-stage extraction process, the achieved values of removed impurities were as follows: 99.9% Fe, almost 99% Zn and more than 60% Mn. in case of model solution. For leach liquor, the values for Fe and Zn were the same, but only slightly more than 50% Mn was removed. Nickel and Co losses did not exceed in the most cases 5%, in the best cases even less than 0.5%. The result of the proposed process is a solution of Ni and Co containing low level of other impurities. This solution is suitable intermediate for Ni and Co winning.