A recent study emphasizes the necessity for recyclers, battery makers, and electric vehicle (EV) producers to collaborate in transforming lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling practices. This shift is crucial to satisfy the rising demand for electric vehicles and energy storage solutions.
Traditional recycling methods, such as pyrometallurgy (which involves using high temperatures to extract metals) and hydrometallurgy (which uses water-based solutions for metal recovery), encounter major hurdles. These include high energy usage, negative environmental effects, and poor material recovery efficiency.
Implementing modern solutions like direct recycling and upcycling could lower costs by as much as 40%, while also reducing secondary pollution. New technologies, including bioleaching, deep eutectic solvents (DES), and robotic disassembly, have the potential to completely change the recycling sector.
An international research team, featuring an expert from the University of Birmingham, has shared its insights in Nature Reviews Clean Technology. The group’s suggestions for improving the efficiency, sustainability, and scalability of LIB recycling technology include:
-
Creating automated disassembly methods to enhance material recovery rates and minimize contamination;
-
Collaborating with battery manufacturers to redesign LIBs to facilitate easier disassembly and recycling;
-
Expanding innovative techniques like direct recycling to maintain material usability and decrease chemical requirements;
-
Forming partnerships among recyclers, manufacturers, academic researchers, and policymakers to establish a comprehensive recycling infrastructure; and
-
Standardizing protocols for better end-of-life battery management to confront challenges posed by changing battery chemistries.
The University of Birmingham’s ReLIB project, the UK’s largest and longest-running initiative on lithium-ion battery recycling and reuse, is actively addressing many of these issues.
Dr. Gavin Harper from the University of Birmingham stated: “The swift rise in the adoption of electric vehicles necessitates prompt actions to establish a sustainable circular economy for lithium-ion batteries.
“In 2024, over 17 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide. By investing in cutting-edge recycling technologies and encouraging inter-industry collaboration, we can significantly lessen environmental consequences while ensuring that LIB recycling aligns with market demands.”
This initiative is part of the University of Birmingham’s strong global collaborations with research teams in the United States, working together on similar challenges.
ENDS
For further inquiries, contact Tony Moran, International Communications Manager at the University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0)7827 832312; email: t.moran@bham.ac.uk
Notes to editor:
The University of Birmingham is listed among the top 100 institutions globally, attracting individuals from all corners of the earth, including researchers, educators, and over 8,000 international students from more than 150 countries.
‘The evolution of lithium-ion battery recycling’ – Xiaotu Ma, Zifei Meng, Marilena Velonia Belloni, Jeffrey Spangenberger, Gavin Harper, Eric Gratz, Elsa Olivetti, Renata Arsenault & Yan Wang is published by Nature Reviews Clean Technology.
Dr. Gavin Harper is part of the University of Birmingham’s “ReLIB Project,” focusing on lithium-ion batteries’ reuse and recycling, funded by The Faraday Institution.
Nature Reviews Clean Technology is a new journal launching in 2025, dedicated to publishing reviews, perspectives, and opinion pieces on the research and implementation of clean technologies. This article appears in the first issue of this journal.
Involved institutions include:
-
University of Birmingham;
-
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA;
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA;
-
Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, USA;
-
The Faraday Institution, Didcot, UK;
-
Ascend Elements Inc., USA; and
-
Ford Ion Park, USA.
