FuLIBatteR

Project long title

Future Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling for Recovery of Critical Raw Materials

Project description

The COMET module FuLIBatteR, funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), aims to be the missing link to close material cycles and existing data gaps for decision makers in the field of LIB recycling. The project, which will run for four years (starting on 01.07.2022), aims to investigate different recovery options for (critical) raw materials from the active material of LIB and to identify new ways of increasing recycling efficiency. In three sub-projects, scientific and corporate partners from Austria, Germany and Great Britain are working on physical (sub-project 1), pyrometallurgical (sub-project 2) and bio-hydrometallurgical electrochemical (sub-project 3) treatment processes. The focus is on the recovery of the elements Li, Co, P, graphite (classified as critical raw materials according to the EU), the valuable metals Ni, Co and Mn, as well as Si from new LIB systems. All sub-projects are linked by the cross-cutting issue of ecological assessment. The aim is to develop a catalogue of measures or a basis for decision-makers and plant operators in the field of sustainable battery production and battery recycling.

Problem and background

Current battery recycling processes focus mainly on mechanical processing. In this process, casings, cables, and other coarse components are separated. After reprocessing, the finely ground active material contains the largest mass fraction of LIB (up to 70% by weight of the battery mass) and contains the critical elements lithium, phosphorus, cobalt, silicon, and graphite, as well as other economically important metals such as copper, nickel, and manganese in varying concentrations. Many of these elements are currently not recovered specifically but end up either in waste gas or slag after pyrometallurgical treatment or are dissolved in wastewater after hydrometallurgical treatment.

Aims of the project

To surpass the state of the art in the fields of mechanics, pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, different approaches will be tested. The expected high quality output fractions are to be reused as secondary raw materials for battery production or other industries such as steel and refractory. For example, one can use the generated metal alloy as an additive for special steels or the graphite as an additive to produce magnesia carbon brick. Cooperation with companies that use LIB, for example in the automotive industry, closes material loops and guarantees successful research.

Waste management and mechanical processing approaches for LIB recycling
Pyrometallurgical processing of LIB active material
Bio-hydrometallurgical processing of LIB active material

Project results

Process	State of the art	Innovation by FuLIBatteR
Thermal pre-treatment	Optionally used to deactivate LIBs for more convenient material handling thermally.	Research of interdependency of material properties operating parameters of thermal pre-treatment and influence on downstream processes (lab scale experiments, CFD simulation)
Pyrometallurgy	A standard operation to treat LIB. Flexible with regards to LIB input composition Recovery of Co, Ni, Cu Carbon is lost as CO₂ Li, Al and partially Mn are lost to slag	Establishment of Li recovery from off-gas Research of increasing thermal efficiency Smart slag design to reduce loss of metals. Removal of graphite-rich concentrate before pyrometallurgical treatment
Hydrometallurgy	A standard operation to treat LIB active material or residues of pyrometallurgical treatments. Carbon is lost to residue	C recovery by froth flotation or magnetic density separation Optional Si recovery as by-product of magnetic density separation
Froth Flotation	The standard process of ore concentration Tested on mechanically treated LIB cells	Thermally pre-treated active material as input Varying LIB types as input Cascadic use of process water as input in bio-electrochemical systems Recycling of Li and P of process water using naturally occurring zeolite and stripping
Bioleaching	Like hydrometallurgical treatments however using microorganisms to solubilize metals. Main field of application is the treatment of mineral ores	Active material from LIB as new input material Research of suitable microorganisms (pure, co-culture)
Electrolysis	Standard method to reduce metals. Energy intense	Research of bio-electrochemical systems as alternative Zero to low energy usage
Ecological Impact	Little to no publicly available data	LCA and MFA to shed light on ecological meaningfulness of treatment steps and the basis for ecologically reasonable decision-making in line with sustainable development goals

Funding

The FuLIBatteR module is supported within the framework of COMET (Competence Center for Excellent Technologies), the Austrian program for competence centers. COMET is funded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs, the federal states of Upper Austria and Styria, and the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG). In addition, Upper Austrian Research GmbH supports the module. In addition to the public funding from COMET, this research project is co-financed by the corporate partners Audi AG, BRAIN Biotech AG, Ebner Industrieofenbau GmbH, RHI Magnesita GmbH, Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG, TÜV SÜD Landesgesellschaft Österreich GmbH, voestalpine High Performance Metals GmbH and VTU Engineering GmbH as well as by the scientific partners acib GmbH, Coventry University, Technical University of Leoben, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna and UVR-FIA GmbH.

Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft (FFG)

Project leader

K1-MET GmbH

Project partner

AUDI AG

BRAIN Biotech AG

EBNER Industrieofenbau GmbH

Borealis RHI Magnesita GmbH

Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG

Borealis TÜV SÜD Landesgesellschaft Österreich GmbH

voestalpine High Performance Metals GmbH

VTU Group GmbH

Borealis acib GmbH (Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology)

Borealis Universität für Bodenkultur (Department für Agrarbiotechnologie IFA Tulln)

Borealis Universität Coventry

Borealis Technical University of Leoben

Borealis UVR-FIA GmbH

You can send an inquiry directly to the project responsible Miss Dipl.-Ing. Bettina Rutrecht by using the form below.

Bettina Rutrecht

Dipl.-Ing.
Scientific staff at K1-MET GmbH

Phone: +43 3842 / 402-2274
Mobil: +43 664 / 59 08 52 2
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Zum Kontaktformular