Determination of the Distribution of Cupric Chloro-Complexes in Hydrochloric Acid Solutions at 298 K

High-efficiency leaching of valuable metals from waste Li-ion batteries using deep eutectic solvents

With the penetration of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) into electric vehicles, the recycling of waste LIBs is inevitable from the perspective of health, economy and environmental protection. Herein is reported a novel green method for extracting valuable metals from the cathode of LIBs, in which the Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) is used as leachate to dissolve electrode material waste. Mixing choline chloride (ChCl) and malonic acid is helpful to effectively improve the reduction ability of DES, resulting in superior leaching efficiency. At the lower temperature (100 °C), the leaching efficiency of cobalt and lithium reached up to 98.61% and 98.78%, respectively. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy demonstrated that DESs could act as both leachate and reducing agent, which could destroy the covalent bonds of metal oxides to form a cobalt (II)-chlorine complex. This method is straightforward to operate and does not involve the additional reducing agents, which is held promise to bring economic and sustainable development prospects in the field of lithium battery development.

Cation Effect of Chloride Salting Agents on Transition Metal Ion Hydration and Solvent Extraction by the Basic Extractant Methyltrioctylammonium Chloride

The addition of a nonextractable salt has an important influence on the solvent extraction of metal ions, but the underlying principles are not completely understood yet. However, relating solute hydration mechanisms to solvent extraction equilibria is key to understanding the mechanism of solvent extraction of metal ions as a whole. We have studied the speciation of Co(II), Zn(II), and Cu(II) in aqueous solutions containing different chloride salts to understand their extraction to the basic extractant methyltrioctylammonium chloride (TOMAC). This includes the first speciation profile of Zn(II) in chloride media with the three Zn(II) species [Zn(H₂O)₆]²⁺, [ZnCl₃H₂O]⁻, and [ZnCl₄]^2–. The observed differences in extraction efficiency for a given transition metal ion can be explained by transition metal ion hydration due to ion–solvent interactions, rather than by ion–solute interactions or by differences in speciation. Chloride salting agents bearing a cation with a larger hydration Gibbs free energy reduce the free water content more, resulting in a lower hydration for the transition metal ion. This destabilizes the transition metal chloro complex in the aqueous phase and increases the extraction efficiency. Salting agents with di- and trivalent cations reduce the transition metal chloro complex hydration less than expected, resulting in a lower extraction efficiency. The cations of these salting agents have a very large hydration Gibbs free energy, but the overall hydration of these salts is reduced due to significant salt ion pair formation. The general order of salting-out strength for the extraction of metal ions from chloride salt solutions is Cs⁺ < Rb⁺ < NH₄⁺ ≈ K⁺ < Al³⁺ ≈ Mg²⁺ ≈ Ca²⁺ ≈ Na⁺ < Li⁺. These findings can help in predicting the optimal conditions for metal separation by solvent extraction and also contribute to a broader understanding of the effects of dissolved salts on solutes.

Addition of a nonextractable salt influences the stability and solvent extraction efficiency of metal complexes. Cations of different chloride salts reduce the solution free water content as a function of their increasing hydration energy and decreasing tendency for ion pair formation with chloride anions. These ion−solvent interactions reduce the hydration of metal complexes, increasing their distribution ratios. These effects influence aqueous transition metal complexes more than direct ion−solute interactions and changes in complex speciation.

Speciation of Ruthenium(III) Chloro Complexes in Hydrochloric Acid Solutions and Their Extraction Characteristics with an Amide-Containing Amine Compound

The refining of platinum group metals is based mainly on solvent extraction methods, whereas Ru is selectively recovered by distillation as RuO4. Replacement of distillation by extraction is expected to simplify the purification process. To develop an effective extraction system for Ru, we analyzed the Ru species in HCl with ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and Ru K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopies, and we examined the properties of Ru extracted with N-2-ethylhexyl-bis(N-di-2-ethylhexyl-ethylamide) amine (EHBAA) and trioctylamine (TOA). EXAFS and UV-Vis spectra of Ru in HCl solutions revealed that the predominant Ru species in 0.5–10 M HCl solutions changed from [RuCl4(H2O)2]− to [RuCl6]3− with the HCl concentration. The extraction percentages (E%) of Ru in the EHBAA system increased with increasing HCl concentration, reached 80% at [HCl] = 5 M, and decreased at higher HCl concentrations; the corresponding E% for TOA were low. EXAFS analysis of the extracted complex indicated that the Ru3+ had 5 Cl− and 1 H2O in its inner coordination sphere. The similarity of the dependence on HCl concentrations of the E% in the EHBAA system and the distribution profile of [RuCl5(H2O)]2− on [RuCln(H2O)6−n]3−n suggested that the EHBAA extracted the pentachlorido species.