biostudies-literatureUnknown15(48)Abdimomyn SThe increasing global demand for lithium-ion batteries necessitates the development of environmentally sustainable recycling technologies for critical metal recovery. This study presents a novel citrate-EDTA buffered leaching system for recovery of Li, Co, Ni, and Mn from spent LIB cathode materials with mixed NMC/LiCoO<sub>2</sub> composition. The developed approach addresses limitations of conventional citric acid leaching through synergistic combination of citrate buffer (pH 4-6), Na<sub>2</sub>EDTA as complexing agent, and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> as reducing agent under mild conditions (50 °C). Thermodynamic analysis using Pourbaix diagrams demonstrated that the citrate-EDTA system significantly enhances metal solubility by forming stable chelate complexes and shifting redox boundarRSC advances40864-40882https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12557716biostudies-literatureCitrate-EDTA-H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; buffering leaching solution for Ni/Co/Mn recovery from spent lithium-ion battery black mass.PMC12557716Artur GAbdimomyn SZhanatkyzy ZMalik SMalchik FNechipurenko SZhumadil KfalseCitrate-EDTA-H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; buffering leaching solution for Ni/Co/Mn recovery from spent lithium-ion battery black mass.The increasing global demand for lithium-ion batteries necessitates the development of environmentally sustainable recycling technologies for critical metal recovery. This study presents a novel citrate-EDTA buffered leaching system for recovery of Li, Co, Ni, and Mn from spent LIB cathode materials with mixed NMC/LiCoO<sub>2</sub> composition. The developed approach addresses limitations of conventional citric acid leaching through synergistic combination of citrate buffer (pH 4-6), Na<sub>2</sub>EDTA as complexing agent, and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> as reducing agent under mild conditions (50 °C). Thermodynamic analysis using Pourbaix diagrams demonstrated that the citrate-EDTA system significantly enhances metal solubility by forming stable chelate complexes and shifting redox boundar2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Oct2026-06-05T07:49:20.139Z2026-05-14T03:11:59.75ZS-EPMC125577164115908610.1039/d5ra06978e