Periodic Reporting for period 2 - FREE4LIB (FEASIBLE RECOVERY OF CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS THROUGH A NEW CIRCULAR ECOSYSTEM FOR A LI-ION BATTERY CROSS-VALUE CHAIN IN EUROPE)
Período documentado: 2024-03-01 hasta 2025-08-31
The FREE4LIB project aims to develop and scale technologies (TRL 5–6) to achieve six sustainable and efficient processes for recycling end-of-life (EOL) lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). It focuses on dismantling, pre-treatment, and four material recovery processes to deliver innovative recycling solutions ensuring high recovery efficiency for metal oxides, metals, and polymers. The objectives include improving the EU supply of secondary resources, enhancing the re-use of metals and polymers, and synthesizing electrodes for greener batteries. Additionally, the project implements the Battery Passport methodology to improve process traceability.
During Reporting Period 2 (RP2), significant progress was made across various work packages (WPs):
WP2: Completed most technical activities, integrating experimental characterization, digital modelling, and the Battery Passport into an operational system, while developing rapid SoH assessment methods and a second-life BESS demonstrator.
WP3: Finalized research on LIB recycling and materials re-use, validating black mass, metal, and plastic recovery processes and confirming the suitability of recycled precursors for new cathodes and alternative applications.
WP4: Launched remaining scaling and validation activities, advancing the recycling processes toward TRL 5–6 and submitting all technical deliverables on schedule.
WP5: Advanced environmental, social, and techno-economic assessments, collecting life-cycle data and identifying sustainability and circularity hotspots for upcoming evaluations.
WP6: Strengthened communication and exploitation, exceeding outreach KPIs, engaging 3,000+ stakeholders, defining 13 Key Exploitable Results, and preparing business and IPR strategies for market uptake.
WP2: Completed most technical activities, integrating experimental characterization, digital modelling, and the Battery Passport into an operational system, while developing rapid SoH assessment methods and a second-life BESS demonstrator.
WP3: Finalized research on LIB recycling and materials re-use, validating black mass, metal, and plastic recovery processes and confirming the suitability of recycled precursors for new cathodes and alternative applications.
WP4: Launched remaining scaling and validation activities, advancing the recycling processes toward TRL 5–6 and submitting all technical deliverables on schedule.
WP5: Advanced environmental, social, and techno-economic assessments, collecting life-cycle data and identifying sustainability and circularity hotspots for upcoming evaluations.
WP6: Strengthened communication and exploitation, exceeding outreach KPIs, engaging 3,000+ stakeholders, defining 13 Key Exploitable Results, and preparing business and IPR strategies for market uptake.
The FREE4LIB project has achieved major advances beyond the state of the art in LIB recycling and material recovery. Key technological breakthroughs reached during RP2 include.
Technology 1a: Robotically-Supported Battery Pack Dismantling Process.
The robotic prototype was optimised with improved vision-based recognition, adaptive tools, and sensor fusion for variable pack geometries. Enhanced motion planning reduced cycle times and improved precision, demonstrating industrial robustness and safer, faster dismantling.
Technologies 2a, 2b, 2c & 2d: Pre-treatment of Battery Cells.
Thermo-mechanical and electrohydraulic fragmentation (EHF) pre-treatments were refined for higher selectivity and throughput. The continuous EHF process achieved efficient delamination with minimal cross-contamination, maintaining recovery efficiencies above 95%.
Technologies 3a, 3b & 3c: Cathode Direct Recycling.
Hydrothermal and electrochemical re-lithiation restored lithium stoichiometry and crystal structure of NMC cathodes to near-commercial quality. Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) achieved nearly complete Ni, Mn, and Co extraction under mild, green conditions.
Technologies 4a & 4b: Pyro-metallurgical and Hydrometallurgical Processes.
A combined low-temperature pyro-hydrometallurgical route was optimised for black mass recycling, enabling selective lithium carbonate recovery and improved sustainability through closed-loop crystallisation and organic acid leaching, reducing energy use and emissions.
Technology 5a: Decontamination of Recovered Thermoplastics.
The supercritical CO2-assisted extrusion line reached pilot validation, effectively removing contaminants from PA11/PA66 materials and producing high-purity, low-VOC granulates suitable for reuse in technical applications with lower environmental impact.
Technology 5b: Recycling of Thermoset Fractions.
Recovered plastics were also upcycled via pilot-scale compounding with tailored additives, restoring toughness, flame retardancy, and thermal resistance. Case studies demonstrated reuse of EPP, PPE, and PA fractions in cooling systems and battery module frames.
Technology 6: Centrifugal Atomization for Al and Cu Powders.
Recovered aluminium alloys were re-alloyed into AlSi7 and atomised to produce spherical powders with suitable particle size for additive manufacturing. This enables closed-loop recycling of metallic components into high-value feedstocks.
Technology 7a: Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of Al Alloys.
Recycled aluminium powders were successfully used in SLM to manufacture parts with mechanical properties equivalent to commercial alloys, validating their use in advanced manufacturing and reducing dependence on virgin raw materials.
Technologies 8a-8c: Electrode Synthesis.
Recycled precursors were transformed into high-purity NMC and LMNO cathode materials via Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) and hydrothermal synthesis. The FSP process, operated with closed-loop gas treatment, produced homogeneous nanostructured oxides with minimal emissions.
Technology 9a: Coating and Ion Implantation of Electrodes.
New plasma-based coatings and Metal Vapor Vacuum Arc (MEVVA) ion implantation enhanced surface conductivity and corrosion resistance, extending the cycle life of regenerated cathodes for next-generation applications.
State of Health (SoH) Estimation Methods.
A fast SoH evaluation method combining machine learning and empirical models was validated to classify modules for reuse. It was applied to design a 2nd-life Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) demonstrator integrating eco-design and modular principles.
Battery Passport.
The Battery Passport Platform reached full operational maturity with a hybrid blockchain–MongoDB architecture. Smart contracts enable gasless transactions and secure role-based data access, while interactive dashboards ensure full traceability through all lifecycle stages.
Technology 1a: Robotically-Supported Battery Pack Dismantling Process.
The robotic prototype was optimised with improved vision-based recognition, adaptive tools, and sensor fusion for variable pack geometries. Enhanced motion planning reduced cycle times and improved precision, demonstrating industrial robustness and safer, faster dismantling.
Technologies 2a, 2b, 2c & 2d: Pre-treatment of Battery Cells.
Thermo-mechanical and electrohydraulic fragmentation (EHF) pre-treatments were refined for higher selectivity and throughput. The continuous EHF process achieved efficient delamination with minimal cross-contamination, maintaining recovery efficiencies above 95%.
Technologies 3a, 3b & 3c: Cathode Direct Recycling.
Hydrothermal and electrochemical re-lithiation restored lithium stoichiometry and crystal structure of NMC cathodes to near-commercial quality. Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) achieved nearly complete Ni, Mn, and Co extraction under mild, green conditions.
Technologies 4a & 4b: Pyro-metallurgical and Hydrometallurgical Processes.
A combined low-temperature pyro-hydrometallurgical route was optimised for black mass recycling, enabling selective lithium carbonate recovery and improved sustainability through closed-loop crystallisation and organic acid leaching, reducing energy use and emissions.
Technology 5a: Decontamination of Recovered Thermoplastics.
The supercritical CO2-assisted extrusion line reached pilot validation, effectively removing contaminants from PA11/PA66 materials and producing high-purity, low-VOC granulates suitable for reuse in technical applications with lower environmental impact.
Technology 5b: Recycling of Thermoset Fractions.
Recovered plastics were also upcycled via pilot-scale compounding with tailored additives, restoring toughness, flame retardancy, and thermal resistance. Case studies demonstrated reuse of EPP, PPE, and PA fractions in cooling systems and battery module frames.
Technology 6: Centrifugal Atomization for Al and Cu Powders.
Recovered aluminium alloys were re-alloyed into AlSi7 and atomised to produce spherical powders with suitable particle size for additive manufacturing. This enables closed-loop recycling of metallic components into high-value feedstocks.
Technology 7a: Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of Al Alloys.
Recycled aluminium powders were successfully used in SLM to manufacture parts with mechanical properties equivalent to commercial alloys, validating their use in advanced manufacturing and reducing dependence on virgin raw materials.
Technologies 8a-8c: Electrode Synthesis.
Recycled precursors were transformed into high-purity NMC and LMNO cathode materials via Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) and hydrothermal synthesis. The FSP process, operated with closed-loop gas treatment, produced homogeneous nanostructured oxides with minimal emissions.
Technology 9a: Coating and Ion Implantation of Electrodes.
New plasma-based coatings and Metal Vapor Vacuum Arc (MEVVA) ion implantation enhanced surface conductivity and corrosion resistance, extending the cycle life of regenerated cathodes for next-generation applications.
State of Health (SoH) Estimation Methods.
A fast SoH evaluation method combining machine learning and empirical models was validated to classify modules for reuse. It was applied to design a 2nd-life Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) demonstrator integrating eco-design and modular principles.
Battery Passport.
The Battery Passport Platform reached full operational maturity with a hybrid blockchain–MongoDB architecture. Smart contracts enable gasless transactions and secure role-based data access, while interactive dashboards ensure full traceability through all lifecycle stages.