Friday JohnKu – AKA -TGIF Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network

Breakthrough in Recycling EV Batteries Can Recover 100% of Aluminum and 98% of Lithium Thanks to Swedish Scientists

By Good News Network
–
Photo of Léa Rouquette by Henrik Sandsjö

Swedish researchers say they have developed a new method of recycling batteries from electric vehicles that allows recovery of 100 percent aluminum and 98 percent lithium.

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have presented an efficient way to recycle metals from spent batteries and, at the same time, minimize the loss of valuable raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese.

Furthermore, no expensive or harmful chemicals are required in the process because the researchers use oxalic acid—an organic acid that can be found in the plant kingdom.

In the Chalmers battery recycling lab, Rouquette and research leader Martina Petranikova showed how the new method works—taking the pulverized components in the form of a finely ground black powder and dissolving it in a transparent liquid – oxalic acid.

Rouquette produces both the powder and the liquid in something reminiscent of a kitchen mixer. Although it looks as easy as brewing coffee, the exact procedure is a unique scientific breakthrough. By fine-tuning temperature, concentration, and time, the researchers came up with a new recipe for using oxalic acid, an environmentally friendly ingredient that can be found in plants such as rhubarb and spinach.

“We need alternatives to inorganic chemicals. One of the biggest bottlenecks in today’s processes is removing residual materials like aluminum,” says Martina Petranikova, Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers. “This is an innovative method that can offer the recycling industry new alternatives and help solve problems that hinder development.”

The crushed car battery in powder on the left is dissolved in transparent liquid and filtered for aluminum and lithium (green liquid), with other metals, like cobalt, nickel, and manganese, remain in the dark solids (right) – Photo by Anna-Lena Lundqvist.

The aqueous-based recycling method is called hydrometallurgy. In traditional hydrometallurgy, all the metals in an EV battery cell are dissolved in an inorganic acid. Then, you remove the “impurities” such as aluminum and copper. Lastly, you can separately recover valuable metals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, and lithium. Even though the amount of residual aluminum and copper is small, it requires several purification steps, and each step in this process can cause lithium loss.

With the new method, the researchers reverse the order and recover the lithium and aluminum first. Thus, they can reduce the waste of valuable metals needed to make new batteries.

The latter part of the process, in which the black mixture is filtered, is also reminiscent of brewing coffee. While aluminum and lithium end up in the liquid, the other metals are left in the “solids.” The next step in the process is to separate aluminum and lithium.

“Since the metals have very different properties, we don’t think it’ll be hard to separate them. Our method is a promising new route for battery recycling – a route that definitely warrants further exploration,” says Rouquette, who published her results in the journal Separation and Purification Technology.

Petranikova’s research group is involved in various collaborations with companies to develop electric car battery recycling and is a partner in major research and development projects, such as Volvo Cars’ and Northvolt’s Nybat project.

The research was funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, BASE Batteries Sweden, Vinnova.

The good news here is the extensive mining of precious metals needed for EV batteries can be supplemented with recycled materials, offsetting the problem of supply and mining pollution. Today’s JohnKu talks about one issue with EV proliferation.

Electric Vehicles by John W. Howell © 2023

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Electricity needs rise . . .

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96 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu – AKA -TGIF Fri-Yay/Good News”

  2. We need this, badly. Ever since I learned about the batteries these EV’s use and how our emergency personnel do not even possess the equipment to deal with them in the event of an accident, I became even more dubious about the matter.

    Good story, Boss.

    Liked by 3 people

  5. How wonderful that they are coming up with a solution. EV does not entice me whatsoever because of this very thing. If they have found a solution, all the better.
    Excellent topic, John.

    Liked by 3 people

  12. Renewable, recyclable global products are a huge part of fighting climate change and keeping our only globe livable. If our products and infrastructure are not renewable, recyclable, and environmentally responsible we will suffer for it. This is the model for a sustainable future.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Maybe they can begin by recycling the Electric car huge grave yard in France then John… When we understand the amount of energy and resources it takes to mine these minerals for huge batteries… One has to question.. Lets hope Light at the end of the tunnel
    Thank you for sharing x

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Very good news, John, and so timely. My husband often talks about getting an EV vehicle but I’m still partial to hybrids like our Prius. I don’t like to put all my eggs in one basket if I don’t have to 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Exactly. I’ve read on CNET that, because of the energy used to mine and prepare the metals, it takes 3 years of operation for the CO2 an EV is responsible for be less than a gas vehicle.

        Liked by 1 person

  25. This is good news. I just wish they would do a better job with EVs!!! The needing constant charging that takes time, the fires that can’t be put out, etc. What is this: the dark ages?! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Since folks are moving way too fast on the war against fossil fuels I’m glad some adults are taking a serious look at the downsides of that move which is a tremendous waste of natural resources. Thanks, Barbara.

      Liked by 1 person

  31. Impressive news, dear John! How funny, the Associate Professor should be Russian. 🙂 Anyway, at least something that does not damage our planet…unlike weapons they use every day. 🤨😊🍤🍤🍤🍻🎃

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Excellent article, John. It’s this kind of news that gives me faith in science that mankind can solve the problems facing society regarding clean energy and preserving/protecting natural resources. Now, if mankind can only learn to get along, that’s the real challenge. Nice post, John.

    Liked by 1 person

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