• Resources Recycling
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.9-17
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• 2023

Efforts are currently underway to develop a method for efficiently recovering lithium from the cathode material of waste lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP). The successful application of lithium battery recycling can address the regional ubiquity and price volatility of lithium resources, while also mitigating the environmental impact associated with both waste battery material and lithium production processes. The isomorphic substitution leaching process was used to recover lithium from spent lithium iron phosphate batteries. Lithium was leached by the isomorphic substitution of Fe²⁺ in LFP using a relatively inexpensive ferric chloride etching solution as a leaching agent. In the study, the leaching rate of lithium was compared using the ferric chloride etching solution at various multiples of the LFP molar ratio: 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6 times. The highest lithium leaching rate was shown at about 98% when using 1.3 times the LFP molar ratio. Subsequently, to eliminate Fe, the leachate was treated with NaOH. The Fe-free solution was then used to synthesize lithium carbonate, and the harvested powder was characterized and validated. The surface shape and crystal phase were analyzed using SEM and XRD analysis, and impurities and purity were confirmed using ICP analysis.

• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2017

$FeCl_3$ solution has been used as an etchant for metal etching such as Fe, Cu, Al and Ni. In the etching process, $Fe^{3+}$ is reduced to $Fe^{2+}$ and the etching efficiency is decreased. Waste $FeCl_3$ etchant has environmental, economic problems and thus the regeneration of the etching solution has been required. In this study, HCl was mixed with the $FeCl_2$ solution and then, $H_2O_2$, $NaClO_3$ were added into the mixed solution to oxidize the $Fe^{2+}$. During the oxidation process, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) was measured and the relationship between ORP and oxidation ratio was investigated. The ORP is increased with increasing the concentration of $H_2O_2$ and $NaClO_3$, and then the ORP is decreased with oxidation progress. Such a behavior was in good agreement with Nernst's equation. Also, the oxidation efficiency was about 99% when a sufficient amount of HCl and $H_2O_2$, $NaClO_3$ were added.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.18-24
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• 2017

The $FeCl_3$ solution has been used as an etchant for etching of metal. It is necessary to reuse the etching solution because waste $FeCl_3$ etchant generated after use has provided environmental and economic problems. In this study, HCl was mixed with the $FeCl_2$ solution and then $H_2O_2$ was added into the mixed solution to oxidize the $Fe^{2+}$. During the oxidation process, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) was measured and the relationship between ORP and oxidation ratio was investigated. As a result, this study found that the ORP was increased with increasing the concentration of HCl and $H_2O_2$, while the ORP is decreased with oxidation progress. Such a behavior was in good agreement with Nernst's equation. Also, the oxidation efficiency reached about 99% when a sufficient amount of HCl and $H_2O_2$ were added.