{"id":30666,"date":"2023-03-03T10:08:28","date_gmt":"2023-03-03T10:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=30666"},"modified":"2023-03-03T10:08:28","modified_gmt":"2023-03-03T10:08:28","slug":"new-lithium-ion-battery-recycling-method-reduces-environmental-harm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/new-lithium-ion-battery-recycling-method-reduces-environmental-harm\/30666\/","title":{"rendered":"New lithium-ion battery recycling method reduces environmental harm"},"content":{"rendered":"
Linnaeus University researchers have developed a new way to retrieve cobalt from used lithium-ion batteries. The battery recycling method uses a liquid solvent derived from urine and acetic acid to recover over 97% of the cobalt.<\/p>\n
With the demand for lithium-ion batteries rising and a limited supply of critical battery metals such as cobalt, it is clear that an efficient battery recycling method is required. Demand for cobalt<\/a>, one of the main components of lithium-ion batteries, is rising in tandem with growing battery demand and is only expected to increase. Despite this, battery recycling currently occurs on a small scale.<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s methods for recycling cobalt from batteries come with many drawbacks. They require significant amounts of energy and create byproducts that are dangerous for both humans and the environment. With more efficient and environmentally friendly methods, we can reuse a very significant portion of the cobalt that is already in use, instead of mining,\u201d said Ian Nicholls, professor of chemistry at Linnaeus University.<\/p>\n The work, \u2018Highly Efficient Recovery and Recycling of Cobalt from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries Using an N-Methylurea\u2013Acetamide Nonionic Deep Eutectic Solvent<\/a>,\u2019 is published in the journal ACS Omega. <\/em><\/p>\n There are three main methods for recycling essential metals from lithium-ion batteries.<\/p>\n First, pyrometallurgy involves separating metals at very high temperatures at around 1,400\u00b0C, resulting in high energy costs and harmful gases being generated.<\/p>\n The second method is hydrometallurgy which uses chemical solvents to extract the metals. Although the method involves less of a risk for the generation of harmful gases, large quantities of dangerous chemical compounds are required.<\/p>\n Third, biometallurgy uses bacteria to separate metals but requires other substances to accelerate the reaction. The process causes harm to the environment and has high costs involved.<\/p>\n As demand for battery metals rises, it is important that an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for battery recycling is sourced to ensure that a circular battery supply chain<\/a> is secured.<\/p>\n The new battery recycling method developed by the researchers has the potential to develop a greener battery industry, solving two major problems with current recycling \u2013 high energy costs and dangerous waste.<\/p>\nCurrent battery recycling methods<\/h3>\n
The new battery recycling method tackles two major problems<\/h3>\n