Bioleaching as an Eco-Friendly Approach for Metal Recovery from Spent NMC-Based Lithium-Ion Batteries at a High Pulp Density

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are extensively used for power storage in most gadgets, electric vehicles (EV), and energy devices. Spent LIBs an excellent source of metals, which can be recycled reused new to reduce environmental impacts. Our current study reports bioleaching-mediated metal recovery from spent nickel-, manganese-, cobalt (NMC)-based at a high solid content, using autotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. Inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) analysis showed recoveries 90% Ni, 92% Mn, 82% Co, 89% Li 72 h content 100 g/L. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) analyses the LIB powder before after bioleaching confirmed that metals leached out batteries. A leaching efficiency was achieved by elevated concentrations H?SO? ferric ion A. ferrooxidans culture as well replenished bacterial three cycles during bioleaching. process reported here efficiently extract EV eco-friendly manner.