CARBOTHERMIC REDUCTION OF LITHIUM NICKEL MANGAN COBALT OXIDE CATHODE MATERIAL USING GRAPHITE

• Main Author: S M Fadhlurrahman, Delvin
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/72570
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

As global trend begins to shift from fossil-based energy systems to a cleaner energy system, demand for lithium-ion batteries is increasing. Due to the short battery life, an increase in the use of batteries will lead to an increase in the amount of battery waste. Heavy metals and organic electrolytes presented in battery waste have the potential to pollute the environment and cause harm to people if poorly handled. The goal of this study is to better understand how temperature and time affect the kinetics of cathode carbothermic reduction reactions in lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide batteries, which are expected to produce nickel, manganese, and cobalt components in the form of metal and lithium component in the form of carbonate. Experiments that have been carried out include characterization of the cathode sample, simulation of the thermodynamic aspects of the reaction that may occur, a laboratory scale experiment of the carbothermic reduction of the lithium-ion battery cathode, and characterization of the reduction product. A pure cathode of LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC) was used as the sample in this experiment. Thermodynamic simulations were carried out for LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, and LiNiO2 compounds by varying the amount of carbon as reducing agent and the temperature of the carbothermic reduction. The carbothermic reduction experiment was carried out by varying the reduction temperature from 600 – 900°C and holding time from 5 to 120 minutes. To identify the formed phases, the samples were crushed before being analyzed using the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis technique. To analyze the microstructure of the sample, the sample was mounted and cut to reveal a cross section of the sample, and then examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS). In the temperature range of 600 to 900°C, cobalt and nickel can be obtained as a metal, manganese can be obtained as MnO, and lithium can be obtained as Li2CO3, according to the results of the thermodynamic simulations. According to experimental results that have been analyzed by SEM-EDS and the XRD method, the degree of carbothermic reduction of LiNiMnCoO2 and the resulting product compounds are influenced by the temperature of the carbothermic reduction. The degree of LiNiMnCoO2 reduction and the extent of particle agglomeration are all influenced by the holding time of the reaction. The highest degree of reduction was achieved at 60 minutes of holding time. The carbothermic reduction reaction of a LiNiMnCoO2 battery cathode with carbon has been identified to follow a first-order progressive conversion kinetics model.