Rice University researchers report a faster, more energy-efficient way to recover key metals from spent lithium-ion batteries using water-based amino chloride solutions. A hydroxylammonium chloride (HACl) solution showed the best extraction performance in tests.
Photo by John Cameron, Unsplash
Researchers found that repeated charging and discharging makes batteries expand and contract, causing tiny shape changes and stress. This “chemomechanical degradation” and spreading strain reduce performance and shorten battery life, and imaging revealed how it happens.
Researchers at Rice University developed a two-step FJH-ClO process that separates lithium and other metals from spent batteries. The lab-scale method recovers valuable materials with less energy, fewer chemicals and less wastewater.
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