RogueRose
International Hazard
Posts: 1593
Registered: 16-6-2014
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Element extraction of LiPo batteries with HCl + H2O2
I had some battery packs that I don't know where they came from, they were foil packs of about 38 grams (had 4), some were bulging 2 were fine. The
ones that were bulging when I tried to unroll them most of it crumbled and broke up, especially on the turn/corner where it rolled to the other side
(they were flat).
I started with 1 battery and some fairly dilute HCl I put the pieces in and immediately got a fair amount of bubbling and some heat, both increased
especially when I added some 3% H2O2. It got so intense that I put an large chunk of ice in (about 4-5 ice cube sized) and it melted in about 20
seconds so there was a lot of heat and I'm guessing it would have been a bad run-away had I not.
Upon opening all the batteries there is a chemical smell, similar to a solvent kind of cross between benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzonate, IPA and a tinge
of sweetness. I'm guessing this was the electrolyte but haven't found much about what is used in these.
The anode and cathode were covered in what looked to be carbon (possibly carbon/plastic mix to adhere). Copper was in one and a shiny silver metal in
the other (is this the lithium?). There was a very thin insulation/dielectric layer between the two - IDK if this is a permiable membrane, which I
would think it has to be - but I was able to save one of them and it is quite long. I'm interested in if it could be used in electrolysis as a
membrane.
The solution looked black with very fine black/grey particles floating at the top and bottom (and the plastic of course). After filtration I have a
very pretty green (with a hint of blue) solution and was very impressed that the coffee filters kept out the super fine carbon (this stuff was VERY
fine).
I am wondering what may have caused the bubbling before adding the H2O2, if the lithium would do that and in what state it would have been in.
I'm not sure if I can seperate these easily (suggestions welcome), IDK if iron or aluminum chloride would be easier to seperate the lithium from as I
guess I could add those and have the copper fall out of solution.
I can say that these things aren't the easiest thing to recycle unlike alkaline or even NiCad, NiMH or even lead acid - due to the high amount of
plastic used in these which I'm guessing can't be recycled easily.
So any suggestions on how to proceed with the solution would be helpful and I'll post some pics of the solution, membrane and the "leftovers".
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Dragonjack12
Harmless
Posts: 25
Registered: 24-5-2018
Location: Northern Minnesota
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Mood: Chlorine trifloride
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A trace mettle or the Li displacing the Hydrogen from the HCL
Jack place
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Amos
International Hazard
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Registered: 25-3-2014
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Mood: No
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if you had even bothered to look up what these batteries contain, you'd know the lithium is the form of a mixed metal oxide with a transition metal
such as manganese or cobalt. I'm also baffled as to how you think adding "iron or aluminum chloride" to a solution would precipitate copper out.
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RogueRose
International Hazard
Posts: 1593
Registered: 16-6-2014
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Quote: Originally posted by Amos  | | if you had even bothered to look up what these batteries contain, you'd know the lithium is the form of a mixed metal oxide with a transition metal
such as manganese or cobalt. I'm also baffled as to how you think adding "iron or aluminum chloride" to a solution would precipitate copper out.
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Hostile much?
I said "IDK if iron or aluminum chloride would be easier to seperate the lithium from as I guess I could add those and have the copper fall out of
solution."
Being that I was talking about having a CuCl2 + LiCl solution, I was wondering if separating the LiCl from FeCl2 or AlCl3 would have been easier than
the CuCl2, and I mentioned precipitating Cu because both Fe and Al displace Cu in a CuCl2 (and many other copper solutions) solution.
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Deathunter88
National Hazard
Posts: 519
Registered: 20-2-2015
Location: Beijing, China
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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| Quote: Originally posted by RogueRose | | Quote: Originally posted by Amos | | if you had even bothered to look up what these batteries contain, you'd know the lithium is the form of a mixed metal oxide with a transition metal
such as manganese or cobalt. I'm also baffled as to how you think adding "iron or aluminum chloride" to a solution would precipitate copper out.
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Hostile much?
I said "IDK if iron or aluminum chloride would be easier to seperate the lithium from as I guess I could add those and have the copper fall out of
solution."
Being that I was talking about having a CuCl2 + LiCl solution, I was wondering if separating the LiCl from FeCl2 or AlCl3 would have been easier than
the CuCl2, and I mentioned precipitating Cu because both Fe and Al displace Cu in a CuCl2 (and many other copper solutions) solution.
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I see Amos's reply as perfectly justified, as at this point all you have done is thrown a LiPo battery in some acid, without any research on your part
and are asking other people to deal with the mess of a solution you created.
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