Investigation of zinc recovery by hydrogen reduction assisted pyrolysis of alkaline and zinc-carbon battery waste
Journal article, 2017

Zinc (Zn) recovery from alkaline and zinc-carbon (Zn-C) battery waste were studied by a laboratory scale pyrolysis process at a reaction temperature of 950 degrees C for 15-60 min residence time using 5%H-2 (g)-N-2(g) mixture at 1.0 L/min gas flow rate. The effect of different cooling rates on the properties of pyrolysis residue, manganese oxide particles, were also investigated. Morphological and structural characterization of the produced Zn particles were performed. The battery black mass was characterized with respect to the properties and chemical composition of the waste battery particles. The thermodynamics of the pyrolysis process was studied using the HSC Chemistry 5.11 software. A hydrogen, reduction reaction of the battery black mass (washed with Milli-Q water) takes place at the chosen temperature and makes it possible to produce fine Zn particles by rapid condensation following the evaporation of Zn from the pyrolysis batch, The amount of Zn that can be separated from the black mass increases by extending the residence time. Recovery of 99.8% of the Zn was achieved at 950 degrees C for 60 min residence time using 1.0 L/min gas flow rate. The pyrolysis residue contains MnO and Mn2O3 compounds, and the oxidation state of manganese can be controlled by cooling rate and atmosphere. The Zn particles exhibit spherical and hexagonal particle morphology with a particle size varying between 200 nm and 3 mu m. However the particles were formed by aggregation of nanoparticles which are primarily nucleated from the gas phase.

Hydrogen reduction

Recycling

Manganese oxide

Alkaline battery waste

Pyrolysis

Zinc particles

Author

Burcak Ebin

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Martina Petranikova

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Britt-Marie Steenari

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Christian Ekberg

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Waste Management

0956-053X (ISSN) 1879-2456 (eISSN)

Vol. 68 508-517

Subject Categories

Materials Chemistry

DOI

10.1016/j.wasman.2017.06.015

PubMed

28647220

More information

Created

11/20/2017