Extraction of Cobalt in Lithium Ion Batteries by Lixiviation with Lemon Peel (Citrus x aurantifolia)

Authors

Muñoz, Diego

Andrade, Jean Carlo

Freire, Yolanda

Abstract

Given the growing demand for electronic products, the manufacture of lithium batteries (LIBs), follows the same trend. LIBs contain cobalt, a metal that is rare and expensive. The recent depletion of reserves of this element encouraged the development of hydrometallurgical processes that generate a less negative impact on the environment, such as the one proposed in this study. Four treatments were used with different doses of lemon peel and concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, establishing parameters such as extraction time (90 min.), temperature (±90 °C), and solid/liquid ratio (10 g/L). According to the results, treatment 4 showed the maximum cobalt leaching efficiency reaching 51.91%, using 3 g of lemon peel and a concentration of 10% hydrogen peroxide. Demonstrating that the use of lemon peels to recover cathode cobalt from spent LIBs can be an ecological and sustainable strategy to minimize the environmental footprint of both types of waste