Selective Dissolution of Lithium from Spent Cathode Materials Using Organic Acid Leaching Systems

Abstract

The rapid growth of lithium-ion battery consumption has led to increasing generation of spent cathode materials, creating significant environmental concerns and resource recovery challenges. The present study investigates the selective dissolution of lithium from spent cathode materials using organic acid leaching systems under controlled operating conditions. The research focuses on evaluating the influence of acid type, leaching concentration, reaction temperature, solid-to-liquid ratio, and leaching time on lithium recovery efficiency and selective metal dissolution behavior. Organic acids were examined as environmentally sustainable alternatives to conventional mineral acids due to their biodegradability, lower corrosiveness, and reduced secondary pollution potential. Experimental analysis demonstrates that optimized organic acid leaching conditions significantly enhance lithium extraction while minimizing the co-dissolution of transition metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese. The study further reveals that complexation reactions and proton-assisted dissolution mechanisms play critical roles in improving lithium selectivity and recovery performance. Increased reaction temperature and controlled acid concentration were found to accelerate dissolution kinetics and improve process efficiency. Comparative assessment with traditional hydrometallurgical methods confirms the environmental and operational advantages of organic acid systems, including lower chemical toxicity, simplified waste treatment, and improved process sustainability. In addition, the recovered lithium possesses potential for reuse in battery manufacturing and advanced energy storage applications, supporting circular economy practices in battery recycling industries.