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In this paper, we report on the characterization of two grades of black mass from spent lithium-ion batteries (with typical lithium\u2013nickel\u2013manganese\u2013cobalt oxide cathode compositions) and their behavior during heating trials. This study paves the way for optimizing lithium-ion battery recycling processes by fully characterizing black mass samples before and after heating. A gas release under pyrolytic conditions was detected using a multicomponent mass spectrometer and included dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, oxygenated hydrocarbons, hydrocarbons, and other miscellaneous gases. This can be attributed to the evaporation of volatile organic compounds, conductive salt, organic polyvinylidene fluoride binder, and an organic separator such as polypropylene. Thermal treatment led to the partial decomposition of the binder into char and newly formed fluorine cuboids. The compaction of the cathode decreased, but the remaining binder limited recycling processes. By heating the black mass samples to 900 \u00b0C, the intensity of the X-ray diffraction graphitic carbon peak decreased, and the lithium metal oxides were reduced to their corresponding metals. The graphite in the black mass samples was structurally more disordered than natural graphite but became more ordered when heated.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/su15010015","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,20]],"date-time":"2022-12-20T04:21:56Z","timestamp":1671510116000},"page":"15","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":41,"title":["Characterization and Thermal Treatment of the Black Mass from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3359-8478","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elsayed","family":"Mousa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"SWERIM AB, Aronstorpsv\u00e4gen 1, SE-974 37 Lule\u00e5, Sweden"},{"name":"Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), Cairo 12422, Egypt"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8097-518X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xianfeng","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SWERIM AB, Aronstorpsv\u00e4gen 1, SE-974 37 Lule\u00e5, Sweden"}]},{"given":"Ludvig","family":"\u00c5nnhagen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SWERIM AB, Aronstorpsv\u00e4gen 1, SE-974 37 Lule\u00e5, Sweden"}]},{"given":"Guozhu","family":"Ye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SWERIM AB, Aronstorpsv\u00e4gen 1, SE-974 37 Lule\u00e5, Sweden"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4739-5797","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonella","family":"Cornelio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0974-313X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ario","family":"Fahimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1656-7506","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elza","family":"Bontempi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8045-9943","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Patrizia","family":"Frontera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"INSTM and Dipartimento DICEAM, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Loc. Feo di Vito, 89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4294-6403","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Charlotte","family":"Badenhorst","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings, Faculty of Sciences, Earth Science Institute-Porto Pole, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1884-9390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Cl\u00e1udia","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings, Faculty of Sciences, Earth Science Institute-Porto Pole, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Karen","family":"Moreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings, Faculty of Sciences, Earth Science Institute-Porto Pole, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6397-3713","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexandra","family":"Guedes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings, Faculty of Sciences, Earth Science Institute-Porto Pole, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1463-9126","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bruno","family":"Valentim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings, Faculty of Sciences, Earth Science Institute-Porto Pole, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"International Energy Agency (2021). 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