Researchers at the University of Leicester have developed a new way to recycle electric vehicle batteries using a groundbreaking new approach that many have seen in the dentist’s chair.
The Faraday Institution’s Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling (ReLiB) project, led by Professor Andy Abbott of the University of Leicester, has used a new method using ultrasonic waves to solve a critical challenge: how to separate valuable materials from electrodes so that the materials can be fully recovered from batteries at the end of their life.
Current recycling processes for recycling lithium-ion batteries usually lead old batteries to a shredder or high-temperature reactor. Complex physical and chemical processes are then required to produce useful materials. These recycling routes are energy-intensive and inefficient.
By taking an alternative approach and dismantling old batteries instead of shredding them, there is an opportunity to recover more material in a purer state. The dismantling of lithium-ion batteries has shown that a high yield (approx. 80% of the original material) is recovered in a purer state than was possible with shredded material.
The stumbling block of removing and separating critical materials (such as lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt) from old batteries quickly, economically and environmentally friendly can now be avoided thanks to the new approach that is currently adapting the technology, which is widespread in the food preparation industry.
The ultrasonic delamination technology effectively radiates the required active materials from the electrodes, leaving behind pure aluminum or copper. The process was found to be very effective in removing graphite and lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxides, commonly known as NMC.
The research results have been published in Green Chemistry and the research team, led by Professor Abbott, has applied for a patent on the technique.
Professor Abbott said:
“This novel process is 100 times faster and more environmentally friendly than conventional battery recycling techniques and leads to a higher purity of the recovered materials.
“It essentially works like an ultrasonic decalcifier at the dentist’s and breaks the adhesive bond between the lacquer layer and the substrate.
“It is likely that the first use of this technology will bring recycled materials straight back into the battery production line. This is a real turning point in battery recycling. “
Professor Pam Thomas, CEO, The Faraday Institution, commented:
“To get the full value of battery technologies for the UK, we need to focus on the full lifecycle – from mining critical materials to battery manufacturing and recycling – to create a circular economy that is both sustainable for the planet and profitable for industry . “
Researchers at the Faraday Institution have focused on the battery’s lifecycle – from its initial production, to its reuse in secondary applications, to its eventual recycling, to ensure that the environmental and economic benefits of the batteries for electric vehicles are fully realized.
The research team is in initial discussions with several battery manufacturers and recycling companies to place a technology demonstrator at an industrial site in 2021 with the longer-term goal of licensing the technology.
The research team further tested the technology on the four most common types of batteries and found that it worked with the same efficiency in each case.
Reference: Lei C, Aldous I, Hartley JM, et al. Recycling of lithium-ion batteries with high-intensity ultrasound treatment. Green Chem. 2021. doi: 10.1039 / D1GC01623G
This article was republished from the following materials. Note: The material may have been edited for length and content. For more information, please refer to the source cited.
Comments are closed.