Recovery, characterization and purification of LiPF6 extracted from lithium-ion batteries

The growing volume of electronic waste (e-waste), particularly end-of-life (EoL) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), poses significant environmental challenges. With EU regulations aiming for ambitious recovery rates of critical metals, such as lithium, by 2030–20311, the need for efficient, scalable, and environmentally friendly recycling methods of these devices is urgent. LiPF6 is currently the most used lithium salt for LIBs as an electrolyte, but it has various drawbacks regarding its stability, which usually contributes to the aging and eventually failing of the battery2. The purpose of this research has been to devise a repeatable recovery method of the lithium salt and, using 31P NMR with the ERETIC software3, its quantification and the identification of its decomposition byproducts contained in an extract obtained from LIBs scraps. Later, we will discuss a preliminary two-step purification process aiming to remove or reduce the percentage of the byproducts in the extract, with the purpose of reusing the LiPF6 inside new batteries. References 1 European Parliament, Official Journal of the European Union L 191, 28.7.2023, 1 – 117, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj 2 B. Vortmann, S. Nowak, C. Engelhard, Analytical Chemistry 2013, 85(6), 3433 – 3438 3 L. Barantin, A. Le Pape, S. Akoka, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 2005, 38(2), 179 – 182