Systems and methods of synthesizing nanoparticles on substrates using rapid, high temperature thermal shock. A method involves depositing micro-sized particles or salt precursors on a substrate, and applying a rapid, high temperature thermal pulse or shock to the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors and the substrate to cause the micro-sized particles or the salt precursors to become nanoparticles on the substrate. A system may include a rotatable member that receives a roll of a substrate sheet having micro-sized particles or salt precursors; a motor that rotates the rotatable member so as to unroll consecutive portions of the substrate sheet from the roll; and a thermal energy source that applies a short, high temperature thermal shock to consecutive portions of the substrate sheet that are unrolled from the roll by rotating the first rotatable member. Some systems and methods produce nanoparticles on existing substrate. The nanoparticles may be metallic, ceramic, inorganic, semiconductor, or compound nanoparticles. The substrate may be a carbon-based substrate, a conducting substrate, or a non-conducting substrate. The high temperature thermal shock process may be enabled by electrical Joule heating, microwave heating, thermal radiative heating, plasma heating, or laser heating.

Provided is a method of manufacturing high-purity, high-quality manganese sulfate which can be immediately used for manufacturing a lithium ion secondary battery from manganese sulfate waste liquid of a wasted battery. Since impurities are removed from the manganese sulfate waste liquid by using sulfides causing no secondary contamination in the manganese sulfate waste liquid and the manganese sulfate is manufactured by performing evaporation concentration through heating, the manufacturing method is very environment-friendly and economical. Since the manganese recovering process improving the manufacturing yield of the manganese sulfate and the waste water treatment process capable of recycling the source materials and discharging waste water are integrated, the manufacturing method is very efficient and environment-friendly. The manufacturing method is applied to the recycling industry, and thus, it is possible to obtain effects of preventing environmental pollution and facilitating recycling the resources.

A process for the synthesis of transition metal chalcogenides (TMC) having formula (I). More particularly, the present work relates to a one pot single phase process for the synthesis of a TMC system having formula (I) by wet chemistry. Formula (I) is represented as A.sub.x-B.sub.y.

A process to recover nickel, cobalt and copper by co-processing copper-containing sulphide concentrate feed containing one or more of arsenic, antimony, and bismuth, and laterite ore feed containing nickel and cobalt by pressure oxidative leaching. The sulphide concentrate and oxygen are controlled to produce sulphuric acid to leach nickel, cobalt, copper and acid soluble impurities into a liquid phase of an acidic leach slurry, to precipitate iron compounds and a majority of the arsenic, antimony and bismuth as solids, and to produce heat to heat the incoming feeds to a temperature above 230 C. Reacted slurry is withdrawn, solids are separated, and the PLS solution contains the nickel, cobalt, copper and acid soluble impurities. A first solution purification stage on the PLS neutralizes free acid, precipitates one or more of iron, aluminum, chromium and silicon, and, separates as solids, the precipitated impurities and other solids from a first purified solution. Copper is separated from the first purified solution with a solvent extraction step to produce a raffinate solution reduced in copper and a copper loaded organic phase. The organic phase is stripped and copper is recovered with electrowinning. A second solution purification stage is conducted on the raffinate by one or both of neutralizing free acid and precipitating one or more of iron, aluminum, chromium and silicon, followed by separating as solids, the precipitated impurities and other solids from a second purified solution. Nickel and cobalt are recovered as mixed hydroxides or mixed sulphides from the second purified solution.

A process to recover nickel, cobalt and copper by co-processing copper-containing sulphide concentrate feed containing one or more of arsenic, antimony, and bismuth, and laterite ore feed containing nickel and cobalt by pressure oxidative leaching. The sulphide concentrate and oxygen are controlled to produce sulphuric acid to leach nickel, cobalt, copper and acid soluble impurities into a liquid phase of an acidic leach slurry, to precipitate iron compounds and a majority of the arsenic, antimony and bismuth as solids, and to produce heat to heat the incoming feeds to a temperature above 230 C. Reacted slurry is withdrawn, solids are separated, and the PLS solution contains the nickel, cobalt, copper and acid soluble impurities. A first solution purification stage on the PLS neutralizes free acid, precipitates one or more of iron, aluminum, chromium and silicon, and, separates as solids, the precipitated impurities and other solids from a first purified solution. Copper is separated from the first purified solution with a solvent extraction step to produce a raffinate solution reduced in copper and a copper loaded organic phase. The organic phase is stripped and copper is recovered with electrowinning. A second solution purification stage is conducted on the raffinate by one or both of neutralizing free acid and precipitating one or more of iron, aluminum, chromium and silicon, followed by separating as solids, the precipitated impurities and other solids from a second purified solution. Nickel and cobalt are recovered as mixed hydroxides or mixed sulphides from the second purified solution.

Process for the separation of Li from oxides of one or more of Co and Ni contained in a feed, comprising the steps of: contacting, in aqueous medium, the feed with a quantity of sulfidizing agent, sufficient to convert a major part of the Co and/or Ni to sulfides, and a quantity of mineral acid sufficient to reach a pH of 1 to 5, thereby forming an aqueous slurry containing solid Co and/or Ni sulfides, and a solution containing Li; and, separating the solids from the solution, thereby obtaining solids containing Co and/or Ni sulfides, and a solution containing at least 70% of the Li. This process allows to convert Co and Ni to solid sulfides and at the same time to efficiently separate them from soluble compounds such as Li, Mn and other impurities.

Process for the separation of Li from oxides of one or more of Co and Ni contained in a feed, comprising the steps of: contacting, in aqueous medium, the feed with a quantity of sulfidizing agent, sufficient to convert a major part of the Co and/or Ni to sulfides, and a quantity of mineral acid sufficient to reach a pH of 1 to 5, thereby forming an aqueous slurry containing solid Co and/or Ni sulfides, and a solution containing Li; and, separating the solids from the solution, thereby obtaining solids containing Co and/or Ni sulfides, and a solution containing at least 70% of the Li. This process allows to convert Co and Ni to solid sulfides and at the same time to efficiently separate them from soluble compounds such as Li, Mn and other impurities.

This method for leaching an electrode material is a method for subjecting an electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery to acid leaching, the method including a leaching step of reacting the electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery with sulfuric acid to obtain a leachate in which metals contained in the electrode material are leached, in which the leaching step includes a sulfuric acid adding step of adding the sulfuric acid to the electrode material to obtain a sulfuric acid-added electrode material, a kneading step of kneading the sulfuric acid-added electrode material to form a leaching paste, and a diluting step of diluting the leaching paste with water.

This method for leaching an electrode material is a method for subjecting an electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery to acid leaching, the method including a leaching step of reacting the electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery with sulfuric acid to obtain a leachate in which metals contained in the electrode material are leached, in which the leaching step includes a sulfuric acid adding step of adding the sulfuric acid to the electrode material to obtain a sulfuric acid-added electrode material, a kneading step of kneading the sulfuric acid-added electrode material to form a leaching paste, and a diluting step of diluting the leaching paste with water.

The invention provides a process for generating a metal sulphide comprising nickel and/or cobalt, comprising the steps of: i. forming an aqueous metal sulphate solution by reacting sulphuric acid with a raw material feed comprising nickel and/or cobalt in water; ii. crystallizing said metal sulphate from said aqueous metal sulphate solution to form a crystallized metal sulphate in a mother liquor, the mother liquor comprising an uncrystallized metal sulphate; iii. separating said crystallized metal sulphate from said mother liquor; iv. reacting at least a portion of said uncrystallized metal sulphate with hydrogen sulphide in an acidic aqueous medium, thereby obtaining a slurry consisting of a solid phase comprising a metal sulphide precipitate and an aqueous phase comprising one or more impurities and sulphuric acid; and v. separating said solid phase and said aqueous phase.