03/10/2025
Thesis: “Lithiumrecycling aus Batteriematerialien mit einem mechanochemischen Ansatz” (content available in German)
Author: David Geiss [Institute of Applied Materials – Energy Storage Systems (IAM-ESS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)]
Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are an indispensable part of our everyday lives. The application ranges from smartphones and laptops to electric cars and stationary energy storage systems. In the course of the rapidly increasing demand for electric cars, also in connection with the fulfilment of climate targets in many countries worldwide, the recycling of batteries will also pose a major economic and ecological challenge. Around half a million tonnes of LIB already have to be recycled. (1) As the demand for raw materials for accumulators is increasing rapidly, a shortage of resources is predicted before 2050. Because currently used recycling methods such as pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy have numerous disadvantages, a technology for ecologically and economically efficient recycling is urgently needed.
In the recycling approach used in this work, the chemical conversion of the cathode material is initiated mechanochemically by ball milling. This is solvent-free and, in contrast to commercial methods, also takes place without the addition of large amounts of acid. The use of aluminum foil, which is already present as a power collector in accumulators, also allows cathode waste to be recycled with waste when contaminated aluminum foil from the shredded accumulators is used.