Abstract
With the growth of electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li(2)CO(3)) is increasing significantly. However, a large part of the available Li(2)CO(3) is of industrial-grade, either ternary material or lithium iron phosphate (Li(2)CO(3) is one of the precursors for either ternary material or lithium iron phosphate), which cannot satisfy the requirements for the preparation of cathode. Traditional production of battery-grade Li(2)CO(3) involves converting industrial-grade lithium carbonate into LiHCO(3) solution through carbonization using CO(2); the insoluble impurities are then removed by filtering, followed by thermal decomposition. However, Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) are the most difficult impurities to be removed due to their similar characteristics as that of Li(+). This study evaluates the use of a vegetable-aldehyde combination tanned leather to filter Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) from a LiHCO(3) solution utilizing the nano structure of the leather. Results show an effective reduction in Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) concentrations in the LiHCO(3) solution. When treated with EDTA, the leather can be reused for at least 12 cycles, indicating a cost-effective and sustainable high-quality lithium carbonate production strategy. This study highlights the tanned leather's potential as a reliable filtration medium for lithium-ion battery precursors.