Recovery of cobalt, lithium, and manganese from the cathode active materials of spent lithium-ion batteries in a bio-electro-hydrometallurgical process

Abstract

This work focuses on constructing a bio-electro-hydrometallurgical platform to efficiently recover cobalt (Co), lithium (Li), and manganese (Mn) from the cathode active materials (CAMs) of spent lithium batteries. A bioleaching process and selective adsorption by PC-88A/TOA-modified granular activated carbon were both incorporated into an electrokinetics approach to achieve excellent recycling performance. The technical feasibility was comprehensively investigated in terms of four aspects, including the domestication of microorganisms, the evaluation of the bioleaching process, the equilibrium adsorption of the adsorbent, and the electrokinetic recovery. Potential sulfur-oxidizing bacteria w..