Project description
Addressing the battery waste crisis with sustainable solutions
As the need for effective battery waste management grows, NMC, LFP and Na-ion batteries contribute significantly to this challenge, accounting for 85 % of the problem. Traditional recycling methods prove inadequate, lacking efficiency and eco-friendliness. That's where the EU-funded REVITALISE project comes in, with an innovative solution. Utilising cutting-edge techniques like electrohydraulic fragmentation and ultrasonication for material purity, REVITALISE aims to revolutionise battery recycling. Furthermore, it introduces water remediation, extracting lithium from wastewater streams. Collaborating with industry leaders Verkor, Hydro and Hydrovolt, the project ensures closed-loop recycling, optimising recovery rates while minimising environmental impact. The goal is a commercially viable process with minimal environmental impact, incorporating hydrometallurgy. REVITALISE sets a new standard for green, cost-effective battery recycling, guiding us towards a sustainable future.
Objective
REVITALISE delivers a holistic solution for green, low-cost, and low environmental impact recycling of NMC (Hi-Ni), LFP and Na-Ion batteries, representing 85% of battery waste streams up to 2025. REVITALISE develops low-cost and green processes to recover a full range of battery materials, including NMC, LFP, Al, Cu, Li, graphite, fluorides, phosphates and plastics.
Overall recycling rates of 91%+ will be proven at TRL4 for waste processed from post-production scrap and end-of-life battery black mass. REVITALISE will develop innovative pre-treatment technologies based on electrohydraulic fragmentation, ultrasonication and magnetic, and electrostatic separation that will achieve very high levels of material stream purity. This will enable commercially viable recycling of low-value parts. The approach will enable direct recycling of 40% of the cathode and anode active parts, with direct characterisation of the lithiation (or sodiation) being developed that will be used as a basis of a smart-reformation approach for reclaimed active materials. The remaining 60% being suitable for hydrometallurgical recycling based on leaching with green organic acids from food waste, such as vitamin C (ascorbates), vinegar (acetate) and citric acid (citrates) and inorganic acids produced from industrial wastes.
A further innovation is the development of water remediation with Li recovery from all wastewater streams generated, through the implementation of polymeric nanocomposite membrane separation with direct Li recycling for Li in water concentrations down to 0.6mg/L.
The recycled parts will be assessed for (closed-loop) battery and other secondary applications for precursors and semi-products by industrial partners Verkor and Hydro, through reformulation and upcycling of battery materials and validation of remanufactured batteries.
An optimised process flow will be determined to achieve commercially viable recycling with maximised recovery rates and minimal environmental impact.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- natural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistryelectric batteries
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryorganic acids
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryalkali metals
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
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Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
7491 Trondheim
Norway