Research Information System
MINING METALLURGY & EXPLORATION, vol.42, no.6, pp.4045-4059, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
As the world swiftly moves away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) play an essential role in effective energy storage. Nonetheless, their widespread adoption leads to environmental challenges, primarily due to the hazardous waste produced by batteries at the end of their lifecycle. Additionally, these used batteries represent valuable secondary sources of key metals like lithium, cobalt, manganese, and nickel, highlighting the urgent need for eco-friendly recycling approaches. This research focused on leaching real mixed-type end-of-life (EoL) LIBs sourced from consumer electronics by employing two deep eutectic solvents (DESs) formulated with inorganic acids. The effects of temperature, leaching time, solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratio, and hydrogen bond acceptor type on metal recovery were systematically examined. Kinetic modeling was performed to better understand the leaching mechanisms. Additionally, ultrasound-assisted leaching was applied to assess its impact on extraction efficiency. Results showed that both DESs enabled effective dissolution of Li, Co, Mn, and Ni, achieving high recovery rates under optimized conditions. These findings demonstrate that DES-based approaches provide a less hazardous and more sustainable option compared to traditional mineral acid leaching techniques widely employed in LIB recovery.