3240
Influence of Different Cell Types on Mechanical Recycling
Alexandra Kaas, Christian Wilke, Urs A. Peuker
Institute of Mechanical Process Engineering and Mineral Processing,
Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany
ABSTRACT: One challenge for Lithium-ion battery recycling is the reaction of different batteries to the same
process. This contribution deals with the comparative analysis of several different battery types, which differ in
their dimensions, housing material and cell chemistry, and their influence on the mechanical recycling.
By investigating the liberation behaviour after multi-stage comminution, the yield and composition of the black
mass obtained as well as the separation behaviour, statements can be made about the suitability of the process
for the different batteries.
The results show that it is challenging to apply a common optimised process to all battery types.
INTRODUCTION
Global warming will change the life on earth and is mainly
caused by the greenhouse effect. To prevent further warm-
ing, carbon emissions have to be limited. The main climate
gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is mostly emitted by
burning of fossil fuels to generate energy (Wuschke et al.,
2019). In the transportation sector Lithium-ion batteries
(LIBs) based vehicles, electric vehicles (EV) or hybrid vehi-
cles, are an alternative to combustion vehicles (Tian et al.,
2014). LIBs are the key to stationary and portable energy
devices as they are characterized by high energy and power
density (Werner et al., 2020). Further applications for LIBs
are in portable electric devices like smartphones, laptops or
power tools (Korthauer, 2013).
In general LIBs are electrochemical storage systems
consisting of two electrodes. The anode is defined as the
negative electrode and consists mostly of graphite which
is coated on a copper foil using carboxymethyl cellulose
(CMC) and styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) as binder. The
metal foil ensures geometric stability and acts as current
collector (Korthauer, 2013). The positive electrode, the
cathode, is formed by a layered metal oxide containing lith-
ium (Li) with different combinations of nickel, manganese,
aluminum and cobalt oxides or iron phosphates (LiCoO2,
LiNixCoyMnzO2, LiMn2O4, LiNiO2, LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05
and LiFePO4) (Zhao et al., 2019, Zou et al., 2013). These
active materials are coated on an aluminum foil using poly-
vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as binder. The separator foil is
a porous membrane placed between the anode and cathode
which enables the ion transfer, but also prevents short cir-
cuits of the electrodes. Mostly polypropylene, polyethylene
or a layer of both form the separator. The method of put-
ting the electrodes and separator foil together in windings
or jelly rolls defines the type of battery: pouch, cylindric
or prismatic (Rothermel et al., 2018). A casing covers the
windings and is made of steel or aluminum (Windisch-Kern
et al., 2022). Windings in the cell housing are surrounded
with a liquid electrolyte. This enables the transport of ions.
As the production of LIBs requires critical and geostra-
tegically challenging materials such as nickel, manganese,
graphite and lithium, it is important to recover these from
Influence of Different Cell Types on Mechanical Recycling
Alexandra Kaas, Christian Wilke, Urs A. Peuker
Institute of Mechanical Process Engineering and Mineral Processing,
Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany
ABSTRACT: One challenge for Lithium-ion battery recycling is the reaction of different batteries to the same
process. This contribution deals with the comparative analysis of several different battery types, which differ in
their dimensions, housing material and cell chemistry, and their influence on the mechanical recycling.
By investigating the liberation behaviour after multi-stage comminution, the yield and composition of the black
mass obtained as well as the separation behaviour, statements can be made about the suitability of the process
for the different batteries.
The results show that it is challenging to apply a common optimised process to all battery types.
INTRODUCTION
Global warming will change the life on earth and is mainly
caused by the greenhouse effect. To prevent further warm-
ing, carbon emissions have to be limited. The main climate
gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is mostly emitted by
burning of fossil fuels to generate energy (Wuschke et al.,
2019). In the transportation sector Lithium-ion batteries
(LIBs) based vehicles, electric vehicles (EV) or hybrid vehi-
cles, are an alternative to combustion vehicles (Tian et al.,
2014). LIBs are the key to stationary and portable energy
devices as they are characterized by high energy and power
density (Werner et al., 2020). Further applications for LIBs
are in portable electric devices like smartphones, laptops or
power tools (Korthauer, 2013).
In general LIBs are electrochemical storage systems
consisting of two electrodes. The anode is defined as the
negative electrode and consists mostly of graphite which
is coated on a copper foil using carboxymethyl cellulose
(CMC) and styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) as binder. The
metal foil ensures geometric stability and acts as current
collector (Korthauer, 2013). The positive electrode, the
cathode, is formed by a layered metal oxide containing lith-
ium (Li) with different combinations of nickel, manganese,
aluminum and cobalt oxides or iron phosphates (LiCoO2,
LiNixCoyMnzO2, LiMn2O4, LiNiO2, LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05
and LiFePO4) (Zhao et al., 2019, Zou et al., 2013). These
active materials are coated on an aluminum foil using poly-
vinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as binder. The separator foil is
a porous membrane placed between the anode and cathode
which enables the ion transfer, but also prevents short cir-
cuits of the electrodes. Mostly polypropylene, polyethylene
or a layer of both form the separator. The method of put-
ting the electrodes and separator foil together in windings
or jelly rolls defines the type of battery: pouch, cylindric
or prismatic (Rothermel et al., 2018). A casing covers the
windings and is made of steel or aluminum (Windisch-Kern
et al., 2022). Windings in the cell housing are surrounded
with a liquid electrolyte. This enables the transport of ions.
As the production of LIBs requires critical and geostra-
tegically challenging materials such as nickel, manganese,
graphite and lithium, it is important to recover these from