Researchers at Rice University tested water-based amino chloride solutions to recover metals from spent lithium-ion batteries. A solution based on hydroxylammonium chloride (HACl) gave the best results in their experiments.
The HACl solution extracted roughly 65% of key battery metals in one minute at room temperature. With slightly longer processing times, efficiencies climbed above 75% for several metals. The method does not need high temperatures or long reaction times, so it can save energy and reduce environmental harm. The team also reprocessed the recovered metals into new battery materials, but it is not yet clear how quickly industry could scale the method.
Difficult words
- recover — get a material back after previous userecovered
- extract — take a substance out of a mixtureextracted
- efficiency — how well a process uses time or energyefficiencies
- room temperature — the temperature inside a normal building
- scale — make a process bigger or produce more
- reprocess — process something again to make it usefulreprocessed
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think a method that saves energy for recycling is important? Why?
- How would you decide if a company should use this new recycling method?
- Would you prefer batteries made with reprocessed metals? Why or why not?
Related articles
Red‑tagging and renewable energy in the Philippines
The Philippine government has opened renewable energy projects to more foreign investment while authorities have intensified "red‑tagging" of activists. Local NGOs that deliver disaster relief and clean technology say they have been targeted, hindering aid work.
Low-cost cooling could help Bangladesh garment workers
A University of Sydney study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health on Monday (20 October), tested simple low-cost cooling in a chamber that mimicked extreme factory heat. Fans and water partly restored productivity; a reflective roof cut indoor temperature by 2.5°C.
Father’s microplastic exposure affects offspring health
A mouse study found that when fathers were exposed to microplastics, their offspring developed metabolic problems. Female offspring showed diabetic signs and researchers linked the effect to changes in sperm small RNAs; the work was published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.