Description of need
A boom in EV battery recycling is coming soon. Established methods for Li-ion battery recycling are highly energy-intensive and involve burning used batteries at more than 1,400 ºC.
Problem severity (1-10)
9
Who has this need
Car makers
Total addressable market (TAM)
XXL
Solutions today, and their shortcomings
- Established methods are highly energy-intensive and involve burning used batteries at more than 1,400 ºC.
- Most lithium-ion batteries are sent to waste management facilities or landfills.
- The leading recycling method involves smelting discarded batteries or dissolving them in harsh chemicals to remove the binder and recover metals such as cobalt, nickel and copper as a metal alloy.
Potentially relevant capabilities
Porous graphene (see The Porous Graphene Company)
References
- C&EN article: LITHIUM-ION BATTERY RECYCLING GOES LARGE