• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.320-329
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• 2018

Natural graphite is obtained from an abandoned open-cast mine and purified by a simple, eco-friendly and affordable beneficiation process including ball milling and flotation process. Both raw graphite (55 wt %) and its concentrate (85 wt %) were electrochemically tested in order to evaluate these materials as anode materials for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries. It was found that both raw and purified graphites exhibit good electrochemical activities with respect to lithium and sodium ions through completely different reaction mechanisms. The encouraging results demonstrated in this work suggest that both raw and graphite concentrates after flotation could be used respectively for stationary and embedded applications. This strategy would help in developing local electrical storage systems with a significantly low environmental footprint.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.66-72
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• 2022

The circularity and particle size distribution of products obtained from dry classification after circularity tests using a high-intensity mixer were investigated to evaluate the use of domestic graphite concentrate as a lithium-ion battery material. At a rotor speed of 3,000 rpm, the particle size and circularity of the concentrated sample and product were unchanged. The circularity increased and particle size decreased when the rotor speeds were increased to 6,000 rpm, 10,000 rpm, and 12,000 rpm and the operating time was increased. For instance, the circularity increased from 0.870 to 0.936 when the rotor speed was increased from 3,000 rpm to 12,000 rpm for an operating time of 10 min. After the circularity test, dry classification was performed, wherein the circularity of the coarse particles was found to have increased to 0.947. Round particles were observed in the SEM images, indicating that high circularity was successfully achieved.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.38-44
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• 2023

Leaching tests were conducted using sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions to remove impurities from domestic graphite concentrate. As a result of the leaching experiment using sulfuric acid solution and sodium hydroxide solution, respectively, the difference of removal efficiency was insignificant when the concentration of sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid was 2 mol/L or more. The fixed carbon content increased with increasing the temperature in the sulfuric acid solution leaching, while it remains constant above 150℃ in sodium hydroxide solution. For the repeated sequential leaching tests, the leaching conditions were 2 mol/L NaOH, 200℃, 1 hour in the sodium hydroxide solution leaching and 2 mol/L H₂SO₄, 100℃, 1 hour in the sulfuric acid solution leaching, respectively. When sulfuric acid leaching followed by sodium hydroxide solution leaching was repeated 5 times, the fixed carbon increased to 99.95% and ash content decreased to 0.048%, while the fixed carbon increased to 99.98% and ash content was reduced to 0.018 when sodium hydroxide solution leaching followed by sulfuric acid solution leaching was repeated 5 times.