The worldwide growth in lithium-ion battery (LIB) demand has created an urgent need for recycling systems that handle battery waste in an environmentally friendly manner while maintaining high operational efficiency. The main obstacle in LIB recycling arises from blackmass separation because this mixture contains both graphite anode material and cathode active materials (CAMs). The froth flotation method shows potential for separating anode from cathode materials, but its success depends on how surface characteristics overlap and how binding agents affect the process, and the blackmass particles are extremely small.

The author bases this licentiate thesis on four scientific articles that present new findings on blackmass separation through their investigative methods. The literature review conducts a detailed assessment of the surface characteristics of LIB electrode active materials and identifies three main obstacles that reduce flotation selectivity and operational efficiency (The similar surface properties of cathode and anode materials after pretreatment, the masking effect of binders such as Polyvinylidene fluoride and conductive carbon, and surface contamination from electrolyte residues, including Lithium hexafluorophosphate). Magnetic-flotation (MAGFLO), a new development, was introduced to address some of these obstacles. The MAGFLO system is a flotation retrofit that combines magnetic forces with a conventional flotation system to achieve better separation of fine and ultrafine particles through systematic, research-based development. The initial assessment indicated that MAGFLO is effective at separating fine and ultrafine magnetic particles from non-magnetic ones. The research outcomes show that separation effectiveness depends on three factors: magnetic field strength, flotation cell material, and magnetic field operating mode.

The MAGFLO method operates on lithium-ion battery blackmass by using the natural magnetic properties of CAMs to improve their separation through flotation. The process separates non-magnetic graphite from the froth because of its hydrophobic nature. The study showed that pulsed magnetic field operation in an on/off interval mode reduces graphite entrapment while maintaining stable separation performance.

The research shows that MAGFLO yields better separation results than conventional flotation tests without chemical depressants. The research shows that blackmass components exhibit a weak magnetic response, limiting magnetic-assisted flotation's full potential. The research establishes a basic framework for future studies to create an eco-friendly process for materials with similar surface properties but different magnetic susceptibility.