Abstract: A process for recovering materials from a black mass material obtained from lithium-ion batteries can include: i) conveying a black mass material as a black mass solid stream; ii) leaching the black mass solid stream to form a pregnant leach solution and residual solids; iii) separating the pregnant leach solution from the residual solids; iv) isolating a copper product from the pregnant leach solution; v) isolating an aluminum (Al) and/or iron (Fe) product from the pregnant leach solution; vi) isolating a manganese (Mn) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; vii) isolating a cobalt (Co) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; viii) isolating a nickel (Ni) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; ix) isolating a salt by-product from the pregnant leach solution; and x) isolating a lithium product the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: A method of processing size-reduced battery materials comprising aluminum, copper and black mass, may include: subjecting the size-reduced battery materials to a caustic leaching process to yield a pregnant leach solution; physically separating the pregnant leach solution into oversized solids and a screened leach stream, the oversized solids being rich in copper; and filtering the screened leach stream to yield a filter cake that is rich in black mass, and a filtered leach stream that is rich in aluminum.

Abstract: A method of modeling enhancer activity obtains a training dataset in electronic form. The dataset comprises a plurality of training enhancers and, for each such enhancer, a corresponding measured amount of activity of the enhancer in each of one or more states. Each enhancer is a tandem repeat. A model comprising a plurality of parameters is trained by inputting each training enhancer into the model. Upon input, the model applies the parameters to the training enhancer to generate, as model output, a corresponding predicted activity of the training enhancer for a first state of the one or more states. The plurality of parameters is refined based differentials between corresponding measured and predicted amounts of activity in the first state for each of the training enhancer. A plurality of test enhancers is generated using the trained model and their activity tested thereby modeling enhancer activity.

Abstract: A multi-layer, lithium anode assembly for use in a lithium-based battery can include a substrate region having a current collector comprising a continuous copper foil that is between 4 and 10 microns thick and has a lithium compatible support surface. A lithium hosting region may overlie the support surface and may include a lithium material film deposited directly onto the support surface via thermal evaporation and having a thickness that is between 1 microns and 10 microns. A cover region may be located outboard of the lithium hosting region and may have a cover film that is formed from a passivation material and covers the lithium material film. The cover region may allow a lithium ion flux between an electrolyte and the lithium hosting region and inhibiting irreversible reactions between the lithium hosting region and the electrolyte or surrounding environment.

Abstract: A method of separating plastic material from battery materials can include: a) receiving battery materials in an immersion comminuting apparatus; b) by carrying out at least a first size reduction of the battery materials under immersion to create a primary-reduced metal material, primary-reduced plastic material and liberating a first amount of a black mass material; c) extracting at least a primary plastics slurry from the primary comminuting apparatus, wherein the primary plastics slurry comprises a mixture of the primary-reduced plastic material, a portion of the primary-reduced metal material and a portion of the black mass material liberated by the immersion comminuting apparatus; and d) carrying out a further, second size reduction of the plastic slurry using a non-immersion comminuting apparatus that is downstream from the immersion comminuting apparatus.

Abstract: A method of separating plastic material from battery materials can include: a) receiving battery materials in an immersion comminuting apparatus; b) by carrying out at least a first size reduction of the battery materials under immersion to create a primary-reduced metal material, primary-reduced plastic material and liberating a first amount of a black mass material; c) extracting at least a primary plastics slurry from the primary comminuting apparatus, wherein the primary plastics slurry comprises a mixture of the primary-reduced plastic material, a portion of the primary-reduced metal material and a portion of the black mass material liberated by the immersion comminuting apparatus; and d) carrying out a further, second size reduction of the plastic slurry using a non-immersion comminuting apparatus that is downstream from the immersion comminuting apparatus.

Abstract: A multi-layer, lithium anode assembly for use in a lithium-based battery can include a substrate region having a current collector comprising a continuous copper foil that is between 4 and 10 microns thick and has a lithium compatible support surface. A lithium hosting region may overlie the support surface and may include a lithium material film deposited directly onto the support surface via thermal evaporation and having a thickness that is between 1 microns and 10 microns. A cover region may be located outboard of the lithium hosting region and may have a cover film comprising a lithiophilic material deposited directly onto an exposed surface of the lithium material film via physical vapour deposition, thereby enhancing mobility of lithium ions travelling through the cover region and between an electrolyte and the lithium hosting region so that dendrite formation is inhibited when lithium is deposited in the lithium hosting.

Abstract: A flotation separator apparatus can include a tank for receiving an incoming feed stream comprising plastic material and metal material liberated from battery materials. A separator liquid can be within the tank and at least a first submersion agitator may be located downstream from an inlet and may have at least a first engagement member that is movable and configured to urge the engaged metal and plastic materials downwardly to submerge them in the separator liquid thereby dislodging at least a first portion of metal material from the plastic material and allowing the dislodged first portion of the metal material to precipitate toward the lower end of the tank.

Abstract: A method of precipitating copper sulphide from an incoming feed stream comprising copper liberated from within battery materials can includes the steps of: a) receiving an incoming feed stream comprising copper entrained in a carrier liquid in a precipitation apparatus; b) introducing a sulphide reductant to the feed stream to precipitate copper sulphide solids out of the feed stream during a precipitation residence time that is less than 24 hours to produce a copper sulphide slurry; and processing the copper sulphide slurry to separate the precipitated copper sulphide solids and provide a copper-depleted stream.

Abstract: A method of processing a black mass material feed material can include a) receiving a black mass material feed material; b) acid leaching the black mass material at a pH that is less than 4, thereby producing a pregnant leach solution (PLS) comprising at least 80% the lithium from the black mass feed material, and at least a portion of the iron and the phosphorous from the black mass feed material; providing a first intermediary solution after completing step b); and separating at least 90% of the iron and the phosphorous from the first intermediary solution to provide an output solution.

Abstract: A molten salt, membrane electrolyzer apparatus may include an anolyte compartment containing a molten salt anolyte comprising primarily chloride salts and a lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) feed material. A first and second electrode assemblies each having respective anodes, cathode housings proximate the first anode within the anolyte compartment and in fluid contact with the molten salt anolyte and having a primary transfer portion comprising a porous membrane and cathodes positioned within the first catholyte compartment so that the primary transfer portion is disposed between respective anode and cathode. A power supply can be configured to apply an electric potential between the first anode and the first cathode that is sufficient to initiate electrolysis of lithium carbonate and is greater than the electric potential required to initiate LiCl electrolysis.

Abstract: A process for recovering materials from a black mass material obtained from lithium-ion batteries can include: i) conveying a black mass material as a black mass solid stream; ii) leaching the black mass solid stream to form a pregnant leach solution and residual solids; iii) separating the pregnant leach solution from the residual solids; iv) isolating a copper product from the pregnant leach solution; v) isolating an aluminum (Al) and/or iron (Fe) product from the pregnant leach solution; vi) isolating a manganese (Mn) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; vii) isolating a cobalt (Co) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; viii) isolating a nickel (Ni) product from the from the pregnant leach solution; ix) isolating a salt by-product from the pregnant leach solution; and x) isolating a lithium product the pregnant leach solution.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out size reduction of battery materials under immersion conditions can include a housing configured to hold an immersion liquid comprising at least one of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. A first feed chute may define an opening therein for receiving battery materials of a first type into the housing and a first submergible comminuting device may be disposed within the housing and submerged in the immersion liquid to receive the battery materials of the first type from the first feed chute. The first submergible comminuting device may be configured to cause a size reduction of the battery materials of the first type to form a first reduced-size battery material.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out size reduction of battery materials under immersion conditions can include a housing configured to hold an immersion liquid comprising at least one of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. A first feed chute may define an opening therein for receiving battery materials of a first type into the housing and a first submergible comminuting device may be disposed within the housing and submerged in the immersion liquid to receive the battery materials of the first type from the first feed chute. The first submergible comminuting device may be configured to cause a size reduction of the battery materials of the first type to form a first reduced-size battery material.

Abstract: The present application provides a process to recover materials from rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, thus recycling them. The process involves processing the batteries into a size-reduced feed stream; and then, via a series of separation, isolation, and/or leaching steps, allows for recovery of a copper product, cobalt, nickel, and/or manganese product, and a lithium product; and, optional recovery of a ferrous product, aluminum product, graphite product, etc. An apparatus and system for carrying out size reduction of batteries under immersion conditions is also provided.

Abstract: A process for recovering component materials from lithium battery materials, the process comprising the steps of: a) processing lithium battery materials in a comminuting apparatus comprising at least a first comminuting device that is submerged in an immersion liquid, thereby creating reduced-size battery materials and liberating electrolyte material and a black mass material comprising anode and cathode powders from within the lithium battery materials and providing a sized-reduced feed stream comprising the reduced size battery materials and the black mass material and electrolyte materials entrained within the immersion liquid; and b) processing the size-reduced feed stream to obtain at least a black mass solid stream that comprises the black mass material and a retained portion of the immersion liquid having entrained electrolyte materials.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out size reduction of battery materials under immersion conditions can include a housing configured to hold an immersion liquid comprising at least one of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. A first feed chute may define an opening therein for receiving battery materials of a first type into the housing and a first submergible comminuting device may be disposed within the housing and submerged in the immersion liquid to receive the battery materials of the first type from the first feed chute. The first submergible comminuting device may be configured to cause a size reduction of the battery materials of the first type to form a first reduced-size battery material.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out size reduction of battery materials under immersion conditions can include a housing configured to hold an immersion liquid comprising at least one of sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. A first feed chute may define an opening therein for receiving battery materials of a first type into the housing and a first submergible comminuting device may be disposed within the housing and submerged in the immersion liquid to receive the battery materials of the first type from the first feed chute. The first submergible comminuting device may be configured to cause a size reduction of the battery materials of the first type to form a first reduced-size battery material.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out size reduction of battery materials under immersion conditions having a battery inlet and at least a first comminuting device disposed within a housing and configured to cause a size reduction of the battery materials to form reduced-size battery materials and to liberate electrolyte materials and a black mass material comprising anode and cathode powders from within the battery materials. An immersion liquid can be within the housing and can submerge the first comminuting device so the black mass material and the reduced-size battery material are entrained within the immersion liquid to form a sized-reduced feed stream. A feed outlet may be downstream from the first comminuting device.

Abstract: An apparatus for carrying out size reduction of battery materials under immersion conditions having a battery inlet and at least a first comminuting device disposed within a housing and configured to cause a size reduction of the battery materials to form reduced-size battery materials and to liberate electrolyte materials and a black mass material comprising anode and cathode powders from within the battery materials. An immersion liquid can be within the housing and can submerge the first comminuting device so the black mass material and the reduced-size battery material are entrained within the immersion liquid to form a sized-reduced feed stream. A feed outlet may be downstream from the first comminuting device.