Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Separation and Recovery of Individual Components from the End-of-Life Lithium-ion Batteries
EPA Grant Number: SU839299Title: Separation and Recovery of Individual Components from the End-of-Life Lithium-ion Batteries
Investigators: Pan, Lei , Carlson, Camille , Nunneley, Lucille , Zhan, Ruiting , Skeps, Sommer , Billman, Tim , Payne, Trevyn , Oldenburg, Zack
Institution: Michigan Technological University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: February 1, 2018 through January 31, 2019
Project Amount: $14,993
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2017) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Awards , P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
Lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology has become a state-of-the-art energy storage solution for consumer electronics, electric vehicles (EVs), and renewable energy systems such as wind and solar. Because these batteries are expected to last only 2-10 years, they will enter waste stream after reaching the end of their life cycles. It is estimated that as high as 340,000 t/y of lithium-ion batteries from EVs will be available for recycling by 2040. These rechargeable Li-ion batteries are new to waste management systems and present a new challenge to recyclers. A direct recycling route provides the best-in-class solution for this new challenge. This process has the potential to recover all components from spent lithium-ion batteries including anode materials, cathode materials, electrolyte, and current conductors. Decades of industrial practice demonstrates that an integration of battery recycling with manufacturing lowers battery cost and benefits environments. One of the biggest challenges that Li-ion battery recycling faces is finding better ways to separate battery materials individually and showing that the process is economical on a large scale. The objective of this research is to develop a low-cost, scalable, and efficient system to separate and recover individual components from spent Li-ion batteries without generating secondary wastes. This prototype system will be used for research, education and outreach activities.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
In Phase I of the project, we demonstrated that froth flotation separates anode and cathode materials using kerosene as the collector. Separation between anode and cathode materials was improved using a fine grinding process, at which surfaces of anode materials from spent Li-ion batteries restored the hydrophobicity. Gravity concentrators (such as shaking tables, teeter-bed separators, and spirals) were found to be effective in separating current conductors due to the difference in specific gravities between two materials (i.e., copper and aluminum) in water. The purity of copper in underflow products was above 98% with an overall recovery of above 98%. These results confirm the Phase I proposal that the use of froth flotation and a teeter-bed separator is able to separate materials from shredded Li-ion battery materials. Our techno-economic analysis showed that a physical separation route recovers reusable materials with an estimated contained value of over $7,130 per ton of lithium-ion batteries. This high return was achieved by preserving functional integrity of cathode materials that can be further purified and reused in new Li-ion batteries. On-going collaboration with the industrial partner demonstrated that the recovered cathode materials from lightly used Li-ion batteries using the proposed separation processes exhibits identical electrochemical performance as virgin materials. The battery recycling team received EPA P3 Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology (YCOSST) Award given by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers – Institute for Sustainability (AIChE-IfS). One manuscript has been submitted to one journal for publication, and another manuscript is in preparation for submission. The student team will present their research at the 2018 AIChE Annual Meeting in Pittsburg.
Conclusions:
The battery recycling team at Michigan Tech has successfully demonstrated at a laboratory scale that the use of a combination of froth flotation and gravity separation can recycle individual materials from spent lithium-ion batteries. The purity of recovered cathode materials reaches 90% or above, and the purity of copper pieces reaches 98% or above at an overall recovery of 98%. The proposed Direct-Recycle-Reuse (DR2) process has great potential to close the loop of materials used in Li-ion batteries to achieve environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies:
The objective of Phase II of this project is to develop a proof-of-concept prototype for recycling of value-added materials from spent Li-ion batteries. The Phase II project will expand and scale up the battery recycling R&D effort already carried out in the Phase I project. In Phase II of this project, the team will build a prototype system that is capable of processing 1 kg/h of spent Li-ion batteries and producing reusable cathode materials with a 90% purity or greater. Three specific tasks include 1) developing a PID-controlled teeter-bed separator and 2-inch diameter flotation column, and testing the performance of individual units; 2) designing a proof-of-concept system that integrates both teeter-bed separator and column flotation and other supporting systems for recovering individual materials from shredded spent Li-ion batteries; and 3) constructing a demonstration system on a mobile skid for both research and education.
Another objective of this project is to provide resources and opportunities to promote STEM education in the United States. This project will provide up to five undergraduate research assistant positions to students of diverse background at Michigan Technological University. These students will gain hands-on experience and interact with industrial partners. In addition, undergraduate students will be given opportunities to attend national and local conferences to present their research. In addition, the battery recycling team will participate in the Summer Youth Program and develop a mini mobile lab for high-school and middle-school teachers to teach particle engineering in their classroom. This mini lab will be launched in early 2020 through social media and the MTU website, and will be available to any school in the United States for free.
Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 1 publications | 1 publications in selected types | All 1 journal articles |
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Zhan R, Oldenburg Z, Pan L. Recovery of active cathode materials from lithium-ion batteries using froth flotation. SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES 2018;17(e00062). |
SU839299 (Final) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Lithium-ion battery; Recycling; Froth flotation; Gravity Separation; Sustainability.Relevant Websites:
P3 Phase II:
Separation and Recovery of Individual Components from theEnd-of-Life Lithium-ion Batteries | 2019 Progress Report | 2020 Progress Report | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.