SIMPLE PHOSPHORIC ACID-EXTRACTIONOFLATERITEMINERALS AND DOPING OF TRANSITIONMETALSONNICKEL HYDROXIDES
This research investigates an efficient phosphoric acid extraction for producing nickel hydroxide battery componentsdirectly from lateritic ore. A Taguchi analysis-optimised phosphoric acid-based leaching technique quicklyandeasily removes nickel. Once the nickel is taken out, it is used to create β-Ni(OH)2 via co-precipitation with copper or zinc (1–20%). A complete X-ray diffraction investigation indicates that doping exerts varying impacts onthestructure. Adding Cu at low concentrations (≤10%) slowly raises microstrain, while adding Zn lowers it. Thisindicates that the two elements react with flaws in distinct ways. At 20% doping, both components showa clear barrier. This high concentration causes a lot of damage to the lattice, as seen by the very high microstrain values (for example, ~171 for Zn) and the development of additional low-angle diffraction peaks. These traits point to the fact that the solid-solution limit has been broken, which has led to phase segregation and the formation of secondaryphases such as layered double hydroxides or separate metal hydroxides. The study reveals that phosphoric acidis agood leaching agent and that modified nickel hydroxides can only be doped with less than 10%of it to stay stable. This is a simple approach to change the materials of alkaline batteries from a mineral source that may be usedover and over again.
Readers around the world
