XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3291
that permits the flow of electrical charge between the cath-
ode and anode, thereby driving the device’s operation.
Lastly, the process also retrieves current collectors. These
components serve a crucial role in uniformly distributing
the electric current across the entire electrode, ensuring the
efficient functioning of the electronic device.
The next section describes the various parts of the
direct recycling process.
Electrolyte Recovery
One of the most promising areas for research and develop-
ment lies in the investigation of effective methods for the
recovery of valuable lithium salts and organic electrolyte
solvents from spent batteries. These components play a vital
role in the operation of the batteries, making their recovery
not only economically beneficial but also environmentally
essential.
Lithium salts are a key component of the electrolyte in
LIBs, providing the necessary ions for the electrochemical
reactions that power the devices. Organic electrolyte sol-
vents, on the other hand, function as the medium through
which these ions move, serving as the bridge between the
battery’s anode and cathode.
Zhang et al., (2022) observed that during the recy-
cling process, the lithium salts react with water or air to
hydrolyze and decompose when they are exposed into the
environment, and finally some fluorine and phosphorus-
containing compounds are produced, which could lead
to severe fluorine and phosphorus pollution. At the same
time, some reactions can occur for organic solvents, such
as combustion, decomposition, and hydrolysis, causing the
production of small organic alcohols (methanol and etha-
nol), aldehydes (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde), and acids
(formic acid).
These generated substances from lithium salts and sol-
vents are prone to dissolve and diffuse into water, soil, and
air, which would result in severe environmental contamina-
tion and potential to threats toward human life.
Different methods have been developed to recover
the organic solvents and lithium salts in the electrolytes,
including solvent extraction, supercritical and liquid car-
bon dioxide (CO2) extraction. supercritical and liquid car-
bon dioxide (CO2) extraction (Mao et al., 2024).
When a battery reaches the end of its life cycle, these
components do not just disappear. Instead, they remain
within the spent battery, often in a degraded state. However,
with the right recovery methods, these valuable materials
can be extracted and reprocessed, ready to be used in the
manufacture of new batteries.
Current operating companies that are reported to be
commercially treating EOL LIBs and their electrolytes are
AEA Technology Batteries, OnTo Technology, and Accurec.
Figure 3. Circularity of direct recycling of end of life batteries
that permits the flow of electrical charge between the cath-
ode and anode, thereby driving the device’s operation.
Lastly, the process also retrieves current collectors. These
components serve a crucial role in uniformly distributing
the electric current across the entire electrode, ensuring the
efficient functioning of the electronic device.
The next section describes the various parts of the
direct recycling process.
Electrolyte Recovery
One of the most promising areas for research and develop-
ment lies in the investigation of effective methods for the
recovery of valuable lithium salts and organic electrolyte
solvents from spent batteries. These components play a vital
role in the operation of the batteries, making their recovery
not only economically beneficial but also environmentally
essential.
Lithium salts are a key component of the electrolyte in
LIBs, providing the necessary ions for the electrochemical
reactions that power the devices. Organic electrolyte sol-
vents, on the other hand, function as the medium through
which these ions move, serving as the bridge between the
battery’s anode and cathode.
Zhang et al., (2022) observed that during the recy-
cling process, the lithium salts react with water or air to
hydrolyze and decompose when they are exposed into the
environment, and finally some fluorine and phosphorus-
containing compounds are produced, which could lead
to severe fluorine and phosphorus pollution. At the same
time, some reactions can occur for organic solvents, such
as combustion, decomposition, and hydrolysis, causing the
production of small organic alcohols (methanol and etha-
nol), aldehydes (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde), and acids
(formic acid).
These generated substances from lithium salts and sol-
vents are prone to dissolve and diffuse into water, soil, and
air, which would result in severe environmental contamina-
tion and potential to threats toward human life.
Different methods have been developed to recover
the organic solvents and lithium salts in the electrolytes,
including solvent extraction, supercritical and liquid car-
bon dioxide (CO2) extraction. supercritical and liquid car-
bon dioxide (CO2) extraction (Mao et al., 2024).
When a battery reaches the end of its life cycle, these
components do not just disappear. Instead, they remain
within the spent battery, often in a degraded state. However,
with the right recovery methods, these valuable materials
can be extracted and reprocessed, ready to be used in the
manufacture of new batteries.
Current operating companies that are reported to be
commercially treating EOL LIBs and their electrolytes are
AEA Technology Batteries, OnTo Technology, and Accurec.
Figure 3. Circularity of direct recycling of end of life batteries