Enhancing Lithium Recovery from Slag Through Dry Forced Triboelectric Separation: A Sustainable Recycling Approach

Abstract

The increasing use of lithium-containing materials highlights the urgent need for their recycling to preserve resources and protect the environment. Lithium-containing slags, produced during the pyrometallurgical process in lithium-ion battery recycling, represent an essential resource for lithium recovery efforts. While multiple methods for lithium recycling exist, it is crucial to emphasize environmentally sustainable approaches. This study employs dry forced triboelectrification (FTC) to recover valuable components from slag powder, commonly known as engineered artificial minerals (EnAMs). The FTC method is used to change the charge of the target material and achieve a neutral state while other materials remain charged. The downstream electrostatic separator enables the charged particles to be separated from the target material, which in this study is lithium aluminate. The results show that the method is effective, and lithium aluminate can be successfully enriched.