Ion-Exchange Chromatography for the Separation of Critical Elements from Bioleachate

Lithium, Manganese, Cobalt, and Nickel are essential materials in the production of batteries and circuits. Global demand for these metals will only grow as electric vehicles and electronic devices become ubiquitous. The bulk of these materials are imported from foreign entities; supply is insecure and high-risk.

In an effort to develop a sustainable, domestic source of these critical materials, our group is cultivating a process to recover Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Manganese from recycled lithium-ion batteries (LIB). This process involves leaching the recycled LIB in a bacteria-produced acidic solution, yielding a bioleachate rich in metals. These metals must then be isolated from the bioleachate. This project aimed to accomplish this separation of metals by way of ion-exchange (IX) resin chromatography. Specifically, Dowex-M4195 was tested for its purported ability to separate Cobalt and Nickel from Lithium and Manganese. Ultimately it was found that a mixture of six primary elements in bioleachate- Ni, Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, and Li- could be separated into three fractions using a column packed with Dowex-M4195. The first fraction, the raffinate, contained Mn, Li, and Fe(II). A weak sulfuric acid strip isolated Fe(III) and Co. Finally, a strong sulfuric acid strip removed Ni and Cu and regenerated the resin. The column, once rinsed with water, could be once again loaded with bioleachate.