Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ReUse (Efficient direct REcycling for low-valUe LFP battery for circular and SustainablE waste management)
Período documentado: 2024-01-01 hasta 2025-06-30
The rapid growth of lithium-ion batteries (LIB), particularly the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) type, is crucial for Europe's green transition, as they power electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems. LFP batteries are expected to account for nearly half of the global battery market by 2030. However, current recycling methods, which are designed for batteries containing expensive metals such as cobalt and nickel, are ineffective for LFP batteries, as they contain lower-value materials. This threatens Europe’s ability to meet the recycling targets set out in the European Batteries Regulation and the Critical Raw Materials Act. The ReUse project is addressing this urgent challenge by developing innovative direct recycling technologies. Unlike traditional methods, which break battery components down into their constituent elements, direct recycling restores these valuable components, including cathodes, graphite, binders and electrolytes, while preserving their functionality. This approach promises to be more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and economically viable. To achieve this, the ReUse project will develop automated sorting, discharge and disassembly processes tailored to LFP batteries. These processes will improve the separation and regeneration of active materials, conductive carbon and binders, enabling their high-purity recovery for reuse in battery production. These scalable solutions will reduce Europe’s reliance on imported raw materials, support a EU circular economy and help to achieve its climate goals by minimising environmental impact.
The ReUse project has made significant progress in its initial phase, developing innovative solutions to enhance battery recycling throughout Europe. New methods have been developed to safely identify and sort EoL LFP batteries. Automated disassembly using robotics and computer vision now enables the efficient separation of battery components. Additionally, techniques for the safe removal of battery electrolytes and other materials have been established. Advancements have also been made in recovering key battery materials without damaging them. Processes to separate and purify electrodes, as well as remove binders using novel solvents, including supercritical CO2, have produced promising early results and improved energy efficiency. The project has also established a comprehensive framework to assess the environmental, economic and social impacts of the recycling approach, ensuring its alignment with sustainability goals.
The ReUse project has made significant progress in the recycling of LIBs by focusing on the economically low-value LFP chemistry, which has received less attention from existing recycling technologies. A key breakthrough is the development of a discharging method optimised for the materials used, which maximises lithium retention in cathode materials while preserving their microstructure. This enables safer and more effective recycling. Automated cell disassembly and selective shredding processes enable large-format cells (60-200 Ah) to be opened in an inert atmosphere and electrolyte salt and solvents to be recovered with no major degradation compounds. This water-free purification method improves upon current practices by offering higher selectivity, yield and energy efficiency. Innovative solvent-based and supercritical CO2 methods enable the recovery of the electrode binder (polyvinylidene fluoride, or PVDF) and electrolyte salts without producing toxic by-products, thus preventing the environmental release of persistent fluorinated chemicals and toxic compounds. The project also involves the development of thermochmical, electrochemical and microwave-assisted regeneration processes that can restore cathode and anode materials from end-of-life batteries and production scrap to a high level of purity and electrochemical performance. This allows them to be reused directly in the production of new batteries. Advanced sensors and AI-driven sorting systems ensure feedstock homogeneity, and comprehensive data management tools support decentralised recycling facilities with optimised battery discharge protocols. Life cycle and cost assessments have been integrated in order to evaluate the environmental, economic and social impacts of the developed recycling processes. This provides guidance for future optimisation and policy support. These results represent a significant step forward in battery recycling technology, combining high material recovery rates with environmental sustainability and process scalability. Further pilot-scale demonstrations, standardisation efforts, intellectual property management and regulatory alignment are needed to enable successful market uptake. Collaborating with industry stakeholders will be crucial in supporting commercialisation and fostering a resilient circular economy for battery materials in Europe.