This dataset contains experimental and calculated data from a study on electrodialytic processes. The experimental data include parameters such as current density, voltage, concentration, flow rate and recovery measured under various operating conditions. The dataset also contains experimental data from leaching of NMC 811-type black mass.

Electrodialysis is gaining interest as an environmentally friendly refining method in the recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), referring to its low chemical demand with minimal formation of residual products. One commonly researched application is salt splitting, relying on bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPED). It transforms salts like sodium or lithium sulfate into corresponding alkalis and acids – sodium or lithium hydroxide and sulfuric acid, enabling product recovery and zero liquid discharge by reagent recirculation. Despite frequently being referred to as sustainable, holistic views of the process jointly looking at environmental and economic considerations have rarely been reported in literature. This study evaluates a BPED process in a flowsheet for the recycling of LIBs based on black mass leaching and selective precipitation, where BPED was used to treat the residual salt solution upon metal recovery. The process was evaluated through experiments, life cycle assessment and cash flow analysis, with comparisons to alternative recovery and disposal options. It was found that BPED could be viable in geographies with abundant supply of fossil-free electricity, lowering the impact on, for example, global warming and ecotoxicity. Electricity is the main cash outflow, requiring low energy prices to make BPED economically justifiable. A positive net present value when investing in the studied process necessitates either an energy price of 0.035 USD/kWh, 35 % reduced membrane costs or 25 % increased prices for input chemicals than in the standard scenario. The economic-environmental sustainability greatly depends on the marketability of the Glauber’s salt recovered in alternative processing options.

Decopperizing sludge (DS) generated during purification of the electrolyte by copper electrowinning contains high concentrations of copper and arsenic, along with antimony, lead and bismuth, primarily in the mineral phases of metadomeykite (Cu₃As), koutekite (Cu5As2), arsenolite (As₂O₃), galenobismutite (PbBi₂S₄), and cuprosbite (Cu2Sb). This makes it a valuable secondary resource for critical raw materials extraction. This study explores the extraction of Cu, As, Sb, and Bi from DS via atmospheric and pressure leaching using various oxidants while assessing the influence of leaching parameters. Atmospheric leaching with 1.88 M H₂SO₄ and 2.0 M H₂O₂ achieved 86.3% of Cu, 83.3% of As, 49.5% of Sb, and 29.7% of Bi within ≤ 3 min. Under pressure leaching conditions, selective extraction behavior depended on both oxidant system and temperature. Leaching at 160°C using a Cu²⁺/O₂ system resulted in high recoveries of Cu (93.3%) and As (85.8%) while limiting Sb and Bi dissolution to 5.35% and 21.1%, respectively. At 180°C, Cu–As passivation limits Cu and As extraction, while Sb and Bi benefit from temperature-enhanced oxidation. Pressure leaching employing Fe³⁺ at 180 °C promoted higher dissolution of Sb (88.7%) and Bi (80.0%) which aligns well with mineralogical data. The results support that both oxidant and temperature selection are key to developing a selective extraction method. The use of Cu²⁺ as oxidant under pressure leaching at 160°C strongly favors Cu and As dissolution, while Fe³⁺ At 180°C favors oxidative dissolution of Sb and Bi. However, atmospheric leaching with H₂O₂ results in high leaching efficiency of Cu and As together with Sb and Bi.

The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has intensified the need for efficient lithium (Li) recovery from secondary sources. This study focuses on anti-solvent crystallization for the recovery of high-purity lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH·H2O) from a Li-rich leachate, derived from the flue dust of a pilot-scale pyrometallurgical process for LIB material recycling. To optimize product yield and purity, a series of experiments were performed, focusing on the influence of parameters such as solvent type, organic-to-aqueous (O/A) volumetric ratio, crystallization time, stirring rate, and anti-solvent addition rate. Acetone was identified as the most effective anti-solvent, producing rectangular cuboid crystals with approximately 90% Li recovery and around 95% purity, under optimized conditions (O/A = 4, 3 h, 150 rpm, and solvent flow rate of 5 mL/min). The flow rate influenced crystal morphology and impurity entrapment, with 5 mL/min favoring nucleation-dominated crystallization regime, producing ~20 μm of well-dispersed crystals with reduced impurity incorporation. SEM-EDS, surface washing, and gradual dissolution of obtained LiOH·H2O crystals revealed that the impurities sodium (Na), potassium (K), aluminum (Al), calcium (Ca) and chromium (Cr) were crystallized as conglomerates. It was found that Na, K, Al, and Ca primarily crystallized as highly soluble conglomerates, while Cr was crystallized as a lowly soluble conglomerate impurity. In contrast Zn was distributed throughout the crystal bulk, suggesting either the entrapment of soluble zincate species within the growing crystals or the formation of mixed Li-Zn phase. Therefore, to achieve battery-grade purity, further purification measures are necessary.

The present study focuses on the selective extraction of potassium from a hydrochloric acid-based feldspar leachate using solvent extraction with crown ethers, CE (dibenzo-18-crown-6 and 12-crown-4). The effects of hydrochloric acid concentration, extractant type, diluent, extractant concentration, and organic-to-aqueous phase ratio on potassium extraction efficiency have been examined. Dibenzo-18-crown-6 diluted in m-cresol was shown to preferentially extract potassium (≈85 %) from highly acidic hydrochloric acid solutions (2 to 6 M), with minimal co-extraction of impurities, such as aluminum and sodium, in a single extraction step. Aluminum, however, was shown to be extracted efficiently (≈99 %) at lower acidities (<0.1 M). The extraction mechanisms were explored using various analyses, such as slope analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, and scanning electron microscopy showing that dibenzo-18-crown-6 forms a highly stable complex with potassium at 1:1 M ratio, (KCl)(CE), driven by the size compatibility between potassium ions and the crown ether cavity. For aluminum, the extraction mechanism likely involves the formation of a cooperative complex where aluminum ions are associated with the potassium-crown ether complex (AlKCl4)(CE). Increasing the concentration of hydrochloric acid increased potassium ion activity, chloride ion activity, and ionic strength in the solution. These changes would enhance selective potassium extraction over the formation and extraction of the aluminum‑potassium cooperative complex.

The increasing use of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) in electric vehicles and electronics has made efficient recycling essential for maintaining a reliable and affordable supply of critical metals. Thermal treatment of black mass (BM), the heterogeneous residue from spent LiBs, is a crucial step to improve downstream material separation and recovery. This study investigates the thermal behavior of LiBs BM by analyzing the thermal behavior of its components when heated to 600 °C in an inert (N2) atmosphere or in a mixture of 90 vol % N2 and 10 vol % H2. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted at a heating rate of 10 °C/min with an isothermal hold of 1 h, and coupled with quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS). The analysis was performed on graphite, activated carbon, lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), synthetic black mass, and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) industrial BM. Equilibrium calculations conducted in FactSage 8.3 were used to describe and understand the experimental findings. The TGA results indicate that in 100 vol % N2, graphite exhibited the lowest weight loss of 0.1 wt %, followed by activated carbon at 2.9 wt %, PVDF at 56 wt %, and LiPF6 at 81 wt %. Synthetic black mass had a weight loss of 3.4 wt %, while industrial black mass had 1.0 wt %. In 90 vol % N2/10 vol % H2, LiPF6 and PVDF experienced weight losses of 79 and 64 wt %, respectively. Synthetic BM had a weight loss of 15.1 wt %, and industrial BM 15.6 wt % due to enhanced reduction of metal oxides in the presence of hydrogen. 

Large quantities of spent catalysts containing strategic metals such as molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, and vanadium, are lost after hydrodesulfurization of petroleum. Here, we review the recycling of those metals using bacteria and fungi. We analyze bioleaching approaches, utilizing both chemoautotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms, and examine how various operational parameters influence the extraction process. The formation of soluble species in the metabolic lixiviant derived from high-sulfur feedstocks creates optimal conditions for the activity of sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms, such as Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. In contrast, bioleaching with Penicillium simplicissimum at a pH range of 4–7 promotes the formation of stable anionic molybdate, which is advantageous for the subsequent recovery process.

According to the World Steel Association (WSA) data for 2023, 71.1% of steel production was ore-based through the BF-BOF route (blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace) and 28.6% was scrap-based through the electric arc furnace (EAF), resulting in a 7-9% contribution from the steel industry to global CO2 emissions. A major contribution comes from coke and coal use in the blast furnace (BF), a minor part is related to the use of coal at the EAF. Carbon is essential in metallurgical processes, and the question is how fossil coals presently used can be replaced by biogenic renewable carbon (so-called biocarbon). Reported research implies that biomass converted to charcoal (biocarbon) with properties resembling those of fossil coal can replace fossil coals as long as the content of elements causing process disturbances or affecting the steel quality, i.e. alkalis and phosphorus, are low enough. Research shows that biocarbon can replace fossil coals in BF ironmaking i.e. replace injection coal at the BF, coke breeze at the sinter plant, being part of a self-reducing residue of briquettes, and replacing fossil coal in the coke. The optimum ratio for efficient self-reduction and requirements on coke strength limits the maximum addition. It may be theoretically possible to replace around half of the fossil coals depending on the prerequisites at the specific steel plant. Together with carbon capture technologies (CCS/CCU), negative CO2 emissions might be possible. However, a huge amount of biocarbon demand is a hinder to the implementation, and fossil coals for coke making will still be required. Presently, several steel producers in Europe and globally aim for fossil-free steelmaking through hydrogen (H2) based direct reduction to produce carbon free DRI (H2-DRI). H2-DRI are melted in and EAF, submerged arc furnace (SAF) or other type of furnace. To make the process route fossil-free, renewable sources of carbon must be used to reduce in H2-DRI remaining iron oxides, foam the slag and dissolve carbon in the steel during the smelting step. The required biocarbon quantities are reasonable as a major part of the energy input at the EAF is renewable electricity. The conversion to fossil-free steelmaking makes understanding the functionality of biocarbon in the EAF process even more important, especially the effect of biocarbon properties on its contribution to reduction, slag foaming, and carburization, as well as methods to produce biocarbon from biomass of various quality.

The increasing availability of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which are rich in valuable metals such as nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and lithium (Li), makes them important secondary sources for metal extraction. This study focused on the recovery of Li from a fue dust generated during pyrometallurgical processing of NMC 622 battery material, where Li was present as Li₂CO₃ and LiF along with various impurities. To selectively extract Li, the fue dust was subjected to leaching with carbonated and limewater under varying temperature and S/L (solid/liquid) ratio. The leachates and leach residues were analyzed to determine Li recovery, co-leached impurities, and to identify possible factors limiting recovery. Leaching with carbonated water at an S/L ratio of 0.05 g/ml, 50 °C and pH of 7.5 resulted in a 70% recovery of Li over 60 min of leaching time, which reduced at higher S/L ratio and temperature. In contrast, when leaching with limewater at 75 °C and S/L ratio of 0.05 g/ml, 77% Li recovery was achieved within 10 min. During these conditions, the pH reached 10. SEM and XRD analysis revealed a CaCO3 precipitate such as calcite, aragonite, and vaterite in varying proportions, causing surface passivation and inhibition of the leaching reaction. Leaching in limewater not only yielded higher Li recovery but also resulted in lower concentration of co-leached impurities (sodium, potassium, aluminum, and zinc), as compared to carbonated water leaching. However, the impurity levels remained high, requiring further purifcation and separation to produce battery-grade LiOH·H2O.