\u00a9 iStock\/kaptnali<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSupercritical fluid extraction is not a new process, since the 1970s it has been used to extract caffeine from coffee beans. The team has used previous research on this process to recover rare earth elements from nickel-metal-hydride batteries.<\/p>\n
However, this is the first time that this process has been used to recover metals from lithium-ion batteries.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe really believe in the success and the benefits of this process,\u201d stated Azimi.<\/p>\n
The next steps<\/h3>\n \u201cWe are now moving towards commercialisation of this method to increase its technology readiness level. Our next step is to finalise partnerships to build industrial-scale recycling facilities for secondary resources. If it\u2019s enabled, it would be a big game changer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we recycle existing batteries, we can sustain the constrained supply chain and help bring down the cost of electric car batteries, making the vehicles more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Canada is committed to a mandatory target that requires 100% of new light-duty cars and passenger trucks sold in the country to be fully electric by 2035. This is part of Canada\u2019s target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.<\/p>\n
For this target to be achieved, the country needs to increase its supply of critical metals, which are already high in cost.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are about to reach a point where many lithium-ion batteries are reaching their end of life,\u201d said Azimi.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese batteries are still very rich in elements of interest and can provide a crucial resource for recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n
By recycling electric car batteries, these critical materials can be supplied at a lower cost, and the need to mine raw ore, which comes with environmental and ethical concerns, is reduced.<\/p>\n
The current life expectancy of electric car batteries is between ten and 20 years, but most car manufacturers only provide a guarantee for eight years or 160,000km. When electric car batteries reach end of life, metals can be recovered from them through recycling. Currently, this does not happen, as many electric car batteries are discarded improperly, ending up in landfills.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we keep mining lithium, cobalt, and nickel for batteries and then just landfill them at end of life, there will be a negative environmental impact, especially if corrosive electrolyte leaching occurs and contaminates underground water systems,\u201d said Zhang.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s new electric car battery recycling technology, therefore, provides a more sustainable way to recover metals, subsequently assisting the electric vehicle revolution, and the global transition to clean energy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Discover the new, more sustainable electric car battery recycling technique that has been developed by a team from the University of Toronto. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":26024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24425],"tags":[24412,24335,582],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
New electric car battery recycling method developed to meet rising demand<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n