| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2022 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
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| Symposium
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REWAS 2022: Coupling Metallurgy and Sustainability: An EPD Symposium in Honor of Diran Apelian
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| Presentation Title |
NOW ON-DEMAND ONLY - The Circular Economy in Practice: A Case Study in Li-ion Battery Recycling and Materials Re-integration |
| Author(s) |
Eric Gratz |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Eric Gratz |
| Abstract Scope |
Global demand for battery materials is at an all-time high. This makes it for a unique opportunity for materials re-integration to occur alongside a global shift in technology adaption: the transition from the internal combustion engine to the electric vehicle. Currently, the cost of batteries is the biggest deterrent to electric vehicle adoption with the materials cost being the highest cost in deploying batteries in electric vehicles. Recycled materials are one way to lower this cost. However, because traditional recycling processes only recover individual metals or metal salts, from the battery’s cathode materials and current collectors, the graphite is generally burned for it’s energy value and therefore recycling it does not lower the cost of a new electric vehicle. Battery Resourcers patent closed loop recycling process takes spent lithium ion batteries and generate pure cathode and graphite anode materials. This recycled cathode has 8x lower carbon foot print vs equivalent virgin materials. Recycled graphite reduces the carbon foot print by over 50% vs the traditional smelting process. The BR closed loop recycling process can reduce the cost of cathode and anode materials by over 30% therefore significantly dropping the cost of the two most expensive materials in the battery and therefore drastically reducing the cost of the electric vehicle battery. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |