Battery Extractive Grade Sodium Fluoride

Battery Extractive Grade Sodium Fluoride(CAS,7681-49-4)

This refers to a specific purity and specification of sodium fluoride CAS,7681-49-4 used in lithium-ion battery recycling, particularly for extracting valuable metals—primarily lithium—from spent battery cathode materials and electrolytes.

Its core function is to serve as a high-efficiency, selective precipitating agent for recovering lithium in the form of lithium fluoride.

Key Characteristics and Requirements

Unlike conventional industrial or reagent grades, the battery extractive grade demands extremely strict control over specific impurities to meet the high standards of battery material regeneration.

Assay(NaF）≧98%

SIilicon Dioxide(SiO2)≦0.5%

Sulfate(SO4^2-)≦0.3%

Carbonate(Na2CO3)≦0.5%

Sodium Fluorosilicate ≦1%

1. Core Function and Principle:

In the hydrometallurgical process of battery recycling, after spent battery materials (e.g., NCM/NCA, LFP) are crushed and leached, the solution contains metal ions such as Li⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, and Mn²⁺.

The fluoride ions (F⁻) from sodium fluoride (NaF) can react with Li⁺ ions in the solution under specific pH and concentration conditions to form highly insoluble lithium fluoride precipitate.

    `NaF + Li⁺ → LiF↓ + Na⁺`

By precisely controlling reaction conditions (e.g., pH, temperature, F⁻/Li⁺ molar ratio), lithium can be precipitated as high-purity LiF with high selectivity and efficiency, enabling its separation from other coexisting metal ions (e.g., nickel, cobalt, manganese).

2. Stringent Purity Requirements:

High Main Content: NaF purity is typically required to be ≥ 98.5% or even > 99%.

Extremely Low Limits for Key Impurities:This is the fundamental difference between "battery grade" and "industrial grade."

Magnetic Foreign Matter: Must be extremely low (e.g., < 50 ppb) to prevent contamination of regenerated cathode materials, which could impact battery safety and performance.

Heavy Metal Impurities: Iron, copper, zinc, lead, chromium, etc., must be controlled at ppm or even ppb levels. If these impurities enter the recovered lithium product, they will ultimately contaminate the regenerated cathode material, severely degrading battery cycle life and safety.

Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfate, Chloride Ions: Content must be strictly controlled as they can affect the precipitation process, product purity, or corrode equipment.

Moisture:Must be controlled within a specified range (e.g., ≤ 0.5%), as excessive moisture can affect dosing accuracy or introduce additional impurities.

3. Physical Specifications:

Particle Size and Distribution: Requires a uniform, fine powder (e.g., D50 < 10 μm) to ensure rapid and complete dissolution and reaction in the system, avoiding localized high concentrations or incomplete reactions.

Appearance: Should be a white, homogeneous crystalline powder, free of visible impurities.

Production Process Characteristics

To meet these stringent requirements,the production process typically involves:

High-Purity Raw Materials: Use of high-purity hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide/carbonate.

Deep Purification:The synthesized sodium fluoride solution undergoes multi-step purification (e.g., chemical precipitation, ion exchange, precision filtration) to remove various impurity ions.

Strictly Controlled Production Environment: Prevents the introduction of magnetic foreign matter and dust contamination during production.

Precise Drying and Milling Processes: Ensures product particle size and moisture content meet specifications.

Primary Application Scenarios

Hydrometallurgical Stage of Li-ion Battery Recycling: As a key reagent for the selective precipitation of lithium from leach solutions.

Spent Electrolyte Recovery: For recovering fluorine and lithium from electrolyte (LiPF₆) decomposition products.

Next-Generation Battery Material Preparation:High-purity LiF itself is a precursor for solid electrolytes or a modifying agent for cathode materials.

Significance

In developing the "urban mine" of battery recycling,the efficient and economical recovery of lithium is a key technological and profitability factor. Using Battery Extractive Grade Sodium Fluoride enables:

High Lithium Recovery Rates (> 90%).

Production of High-Purity Lithium Intermediate Products (e.g., LiF as a precursor for battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide).

Ensuring the Electrochemical Performance of Final Recycled Products, enabling closed-loop recycling.

Storage and Safety

Toxicity: Sodium fluoride is toxic and must be handled as a hazardous chemical. Prevent inhalation of dust or ingestion.

Corrosivity: Its solutions are corrosive to glass.

Storage: Must be sealed and stored in a dry, cool place to prevent moisture absorption, caking, and contamination.

Summary:Battery Extractive Grade Sodium Fluoride,CAS,7681-49-4 is a high-purity, low-impurity specialty chemical tailored for battery recycling processes. It is no longer a common industrial chemical but a core process material enabling the efficient, high-value recovery of critical battery metals (lithium). Its quality directly impacts the purity and yield of recovered lithium and the performance of the final regenerated battery materials, making it a vital link in the battery circular economy chain.

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