The research team led by Dr. Jung-Je Woo at KIER ‘s Gwangju Clean Energy Center has developed an advanced technology that can restore used batteries. This procedure applies galvanic corrosion to restore spent lithium battery cathodes to their original state, returning them to 100% of their functional capacity.
Galvanic corrosion restores used batteries
According to some experts, by 2040 there will be more than 40 million electric vehicles out of service, creating a huge problem: a massive volume of discarded batteries. This growth poses risks to the environment, because the metals present in the batteries can contaminate soil and water.
This process works as a refurbishment solution that operates at specific ambient temperatures and pressures, eliminating the need for expensive and environmentally damaging processing steps. However, when comparing the recycling method with this new solution, the new method does not require the disassembly of used batteries, simplifying and speeding up the process.
Battery recycling, on the other hand, involves crushing the components to extract valuable metals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt through chemical processes. However, this method consumes large amounts of energy, generates wastewater and produces carbon dioxide emissions.
The direct recycling approach developed by KIER minimises the environmental footprint by restoring the original materials without chemical alterations. Through electrochemical tests, the team found that the restored cathodes achieved performance equivalent to that of new materials, opening up possibilities for more sustainable and efficient recycling.
Now, the use of galvanic corrosion , a phenomenon in which two metals in contact in an electrolytic environment cause corrosion of one to protect the other. In this case, the bromine present in the restoration solution triggers corrosion of the aluminum of the used battery, releasing electrons that then restore lithium ions in the cathode material.
The result is a completely regenerated material, without the high energy costs or negative impacts associated with conventional methods. This research has been published in Advanced Energy Materials , one of the most recognized journals in energy and materials science, with an impact factor of 24.4.
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Source and photo: KIER
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