Development of a metal hydride electrode waste treatment process

Manufacturing residues of metal hydride electrodes for nickel–metal hydride batteries were chemically processed to recover the metal part and heat treated for the organic part. Chemical recovery yielded Ni‐Co alloy after electrolysis of the solution and hydroxides of other metals, mainly rare earths. The organic part, pyrolyzed at 700°C, led to separation between carbon and fluorinated matter. Infrared coupling at the output of the pyrolysis furnace was used to identify the pyrolysis gases.