The other day we wrote about an exciting new way of recycling lithium batteries. However, this new research is still at the experimental stage. We decided to describe the current method because it is all we have at present. Moreover, we do need to do something urgently because 95% of lithium batteries still end their days in landfill tips.
Why Recycling Lithium Batteries Is So Important
Lithium battery cathodes contain lithium-metal oxides. The additives are usually cobalt, iron, manganese, or nickel. Cobalt and nickel are already in short supply, while the battery industry is using increasing amounts of lithium. Therefore, recycling lithium batteries to allow us to reuse their components – and potentially drive the cost of battery storage lower – is a global priority. Some companies are making progress … Lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate batteries also contain aluminum, and high-grade copper. After discharging / deactivating batteries, recycling plants dismantle them before crushing, sorting, and then sieving components. Some recycling plants use advanced technology including aqueous chemistry, and thermal treatments.
