Reuse and Recycling of Li-Ion Batteries (Re2LiB)

Within Re2LiB project new strategies for the sustainable processing of Li-ion batteries at the end of their service life in electric vehicles will be developed.

Battery Life Model
Battery Life Model

Project funding: HA Hessen Agentur GmbH, Innovationsförderung Hessen- Förderung der Elektromobilität (2020 – 2022)

Therefore, Re2LiB focuses on the following:

  • Determination of the end of use or the start of recycling and development of technical and economic advantages for various second-life (SL) applications.
  • Development of economically profitable recycling strategies, which will serve to separate and clean the different battery materials. The components obtained in this way are to be reused in new batteries.

The results of the proposed investigations will help to improve the overall efficiency of the supply chain and to ensure that Germany (Hessen) has necessary tools for the safe, economical and environmentally compatible recycling of the rare elements contained in lithium-ion batteries.

This corresponds to the concept of the circular economy pursued by Germany and the EU, namely, the recovery of valuable materials from waste streams to secure the supply of raw materials and reduce the impact on nature.

Projects

M. Sc. Honghong Tian

Supervisors: Ralf Riedel , Magdalena Graczyk-Zajac

Lithium batteries need to be recycled after the end of their life cycle, and SOH (State of Health) is a vital indicator to evaluate the performance of a battery compared to its original state [1]. Mainly for environmental protection and economic considerations, Cobalt and Lithium in the batteries are recycled back to the battery industry chain in the form of electrode material precursors [2].

A SOH prediction model is established based on the CV, EIS and charge-discharge cycle experiments. Without destroying the structure of cathode and anode electrodes, materials are regenerated and pre-lithiated. The properties of regenerated cathode and anode materials are tested and compared with commercial 18650 in detail.

References:

[1] John Cannarella; Craig B. Arnold. State of health and charge measurements in lithium-ion batteries using mechanical stress. Journal of Power Sources. 2014(269), 7-14.

[2] Nie, Hehe; Xu, Long; Song, Dawei; etc. LiCoO2: Recycling from spent batteries and regeneration with solid state synthesis. Green Chemistry. 2015(17), 1276–1280.

FAME Master Thesis. Adnan Ibrahim

Supervisors: Prof. Ralf Riedel , Dario De Carolis

Master Thesis. Laura Feldmann

Supervisors: Prof. Ralf Riedel , Dario De Carolis