Project description
A solution for addressing and utilising battery waste
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been revolutionary, advancing automation and transforming many technologies used in daily life. Unfortunately, the recovery of LIBs is particularly challenging due to the toxic multi-component mixtures produced during acidic leaching, significantly reducing their sustainability. The ERC-funded ReHeal4waste project aims to design a novel methodology for selectively fractionating metal ions from battery waste and producing hydrogen by exploiting salinity gradients that form during mixing of different concentrations. To achieve this, it will use reverse electrodialysis to generate energy and address key waste. The project contributes to a key effort to improve recyclability and the transition to more sustainable technologies.
Objective
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have revolutionised daily life and automation, but recovering them poses challenges due to the toxic, multi-component mixtures produced during acidic leaching.
Here, we propose a novel method for selectively fractionating metal ions from battery waste and hydrogen production powered by salinity gradient differences that occur when two solutions with different concentrations are mixed. To achieve this, we employ reverse electrodialysis (RED). The RED process selectively fractionates transition metal ions from battery effluent, including complex and toxic metals like Co, Ni and Mn. It also aims to generate energy by increasing the electrical potential difference between the external electrodes, using this power for water electrolysis. These three effects will coincide within the same membrane stack and are inseparable.
The research's primary objective is to design and develop an ultra-selective cation exchange membrane that allows for the transportation of only specific transition metal ions such as Co, Ni, or Mn, while facilitating energy extraction through the mixing of spent battery effluents and low-concentration acids.
Research on battery waste and hydrogen production from SGE sheds new light on the correlation between membrane properties, energy harvesting, and power hydrogen generation. This research delves into the membrane structure and how its properties impact the amount of energy extracted.
The search for novel solutions for extracting metal ions from battery waste should minimise carbon footprint, save energy consumption, and effectively fractionate metal ions from multi-component solutions.
The ReHeal4waste introduce a novel Quality to wastewater treatment, offering the opportunity for the fractionation of toxic metal ions and the generation of energy through the controlled mixing of waste streams with low acid content and the generation of green hydrogen.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
50-370 Wroclaw
Poland
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.