Separation of valuable elements from NiMH battery leach liquor via antisolvent precipitation

Rare earth elements (REE) have been selectively recovered from NiMH battery leach liquors by antisolvent precipitation. The active anode material was leached using sulfuric acid. The REE were then separated from the other elements by precipitation as sulfates after addition of either ethanol or 2-propanol (antisolvent). In a second step, Ni and Co are separated as sulfates by the same technique. The concentration of elements in different acid alcohol mixtures at 25 °C and −10 °C respectively are presented as a function of time after addition of the alcohol, and the optimum conditions for separation of the REE in pure form are presented. Under optimum conditions, 5.6 mol/L (Organic/Aqueous (O/A) volumetric ratio = 0.7) of 2-propanol at 25 °C, 82% of the REE have precipitated 3 h after addition of the antisolvent and the purity is 99.9%.