Worcester Polytechnic Institute researchers in Massachusetts uncovered a new way to recycle lithium-ion batteries efficiently and sustainably.
A summary published on Tech Xplore recapped the research team’s testing of their hydrometallurgical upcycling method. The study was published in Energy Storage Materials.
The innovative approach is advantageous over traditional recycling methods that do not effectively recover lithium-ion battery materials. Existing methods are also often energy-intensive and produce low-value outputs.
In contrast, the researchers’ new recycling strategy focuses on spent mixed nickel-lean cathode materials, which are prevalent in lithium-ion batteries. Their testing indicates that this approach recovers over 92% of nickel, manganese, and cobalt from the batteries and can transform them into high-performance cathode powders.
By upcycling spent Ni-lean mixed cathode materials in this way, scientists use 8.6% less…
