Recycling of Li-Ion Batteries: The Effects of Mechanical Activation on Valuable Metals Leachability from the Black Mass of NMC 111

Journal article, 2025

The electric vehicle (EV) market is expected to grow in the coming years, driven by the use of green energy. Nevertheless, this technological advance also leads to an increase in battery waste generation. This work presents a suitable solution to improve recycling techniques. A coupled method involving mechanical activation and acid leaching was evaluated to process a sample of black mass (chemistry nickel-manganese-cobalt, NMC 111). This study analyzed the effect of milling time, leaching agent concentration, and temperature. Around 98% of lithium and ≥ 80% of cobalt, manganese, and nickel were extracted using 1000 rpm and 60 min of milling time, 2 M H2SO4, 60 ºC, and 120 min. The experimental conditions also influenced the extraction of copper and aluminum traces; however, they did not affect the dissolution of valuable metals, especially lithium.