RecyLIB

Motivated by the economically and ecologically intriguing perspective of utilizing up to 40 % of recycled materials in the battery production by 2050, more and more manufacturers put the integration of recycled materials on their R&D roadmaps. These activities are emphasized by the European Commission’s intention to create a closed-loop economically viable supply chain. The global objective of RecyLIB is the research on a novel process chain of direct recycling of Li-ion batteries with subsequent reintegration of the recovered electrode material into new electrodes via melt manufacturing processes and the performance evaluation in battery cells. 

The contribution of this concept to a circular value chain will be assessed. With a work plan covering all relevant process steps for the manufacturing, testing and recycling, RecyLIB addresses the need for an integrated manufacturing process for battery electrodes utilizing battery active material recovered by a low-energy, high-yield recycling process for the direct reuse of battery active materials. Active dissemination of the project results via social media and highimpact, peer reviewed scientific journals as well as a dedicated stakeholder engagement workshop are planned. With an expected reuse of up to 25 wt% of recycled electrode material in the electrode manufacturing process and the waiver of toxic solvents without detrimental effects on the cell performance, RecyLIB will have a direct impact on the growing EU battery production ecosystem.  

The recovery of electrode materials with a high yield using low energy and low CO2 emission processes, enabling the recovery of Critical Raw Materials will leverage the transition towards a closed-loop circular economy in Europe. In a nutshell, the benefit of RecyLIB will be an electrode manufacturing process designed for recyclability flanked by an electrode recycling process designed for the remanufacturability. 

Keywords

Direct recycling, remanufacturing, dry electrode coating, sustainability assessment, LithiumIon battery.

• Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC (Germany)
• HUTCHINSON SA, ADEME (France)
• Ghent University (Belgium/Flanders)
• ImpulsTec GmbH (Germany)
• Bavarian Research Alliance GmbH (Germany)
• Carl Padberg Zentrifugenbau GmbH (Germany) 

• 36 Months