Chae BM  Lee SH  Kim DH  Seo EJ  Kim HI  Lee SH  Lee SW

Vol. 26,  No. 2, pp. 116-121, Jun.  2020
10.7464/ksct.2020.26.2.116

Hydrogen cell Solvent Extraction Recycling Electric Vehicles Rare earth

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In this paper, the recycling of waste Ni-MH battery by-products for electric vehicle is studied. Although rare earths elements still exist in waste Ni-MH battery by-products, they are not valuable as materials in the form of by-products (such as an insoluble substance). This study investigates the recovering of rare earth oxide for solvent extraction A/O ratio, substitution reaction, and reaction temperature, and scrubbing of the rare earth elements for high purity separation. The by-product (in the form of rare earth elements insoluble powder) is converted into hydroxide form using 30% sodium hydroxide solution. The remaining impurities are purified using the difference in solubility of oxalic acid. Subsequently, Yttrium is isolated by means of D2EHPA (Di-[2-ethylhexyl] phosphoric acid). After cerium is separated using potassium permanganate, lanthanum and neodymium are separated using PC88A (2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester) and it is calcinated at a temperature of 800 ℃. As a result of the physical and chemical measurement of the calcined lanthanum and neodymium powder, it is confirmed that the powder is a microsized porous powder in an oxide form of 99.9% or more. Rare earth oxides are recovered from Ni-MH battery by-products through two solvent extraction processes and one oxidation process. This study has regenerated lanthanum and neodymium oxide as a useful material.