Air Option 1: AIR Technology Translation - Lithium Ion Battery Recycling: From Laboratory Research to Industrial Commercialization

这个PFI: AIR技术翻译项目的重点是翻译一种基本的回收技术，以解决现有锂离子电池回收过程中的空白。与市场上现有的湿法冶金或火法冶金回收技术相比，转化后的回收技术成本更低，效率更高。该项目通过从废锂离子电池中回收正极材料并生产新的正极材料来实现其目标，而不考虑锂离子电池的正极化学性质。此外，该项目将使用基于传感器的分选技术回收铜集流器，该技术与拟议的湿法冶金回收工艺相结合，将形成一个闭环工业回收过程，用于不同化学成分的锂离子电池。该合作伙伴关系使wTe公司在提取含铜材料的传感技术方面提供指导。wTe还将协助解决市场营销、融资和商业化问题，以便将拟议的锂离子电池回收过程转化为具有竞争力的商业现实。随着消费者对混合动力汽车、电动汽车、便携式电子产品和电网系统的需求不断增加，锂离子电池的使用量正在增加，而且预计未来只会增加。由于最大的锂储量存在于政治不稳定或不合作的国家，对这些关键资源的需求是一个具有国家战略重要性的问题。此外，从环境角度来看，锂离子电池中的电解质是易燃的。如果锂离子电池被燃烧，有毒的HF可能会释放到环境中。现有的锂离子电池回收技术要么成本过高，要么无法适应不断变化的锂离子电池化学性质。WPI和wTe之间拟议的合作将采用改进的锂离子萃取冶金和基于传感器的分选技术相结合，使新型回收工艺的开发和商业化成为可能，从而解决这些限制，满足对关键材料日益增长的需求，帮助减轻环境风险，并确保国家战略利益。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a fundamental recycling technology to address gaps in the existing Li-ion battery recycling processes. The translated recycling technology demonstrates lower cost and higher efficiency when compared to existing hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical recycling techniques in this market space. The project accomplishes its objectives by recovering cathode materials from spent Li-ion batteries and producing new cathode materials regardless of the Li-ion battery cathode chemistry. In addition, the project will recover copper current collectors using a sensor-based sorting technology that, combined with the proposed hydrometallurgical recovery process, will result in a closed-loop industrial recycling process for Li-ion batteries with varying chemistries. The partnership engages wTe Corporation to provide guidance in sensing technologies to extract copper-bearing materials. wTe will also assist with addressing marketing, financing, and commercialization issues in order to translate the proposed Li-ion battery recycling process to a competitive commercial reality. With increasing consumer demand for hybrid cars, electrical cars, portable electronics, and grid systems, the usage of Li-ion batteries is increasing and is only projected to rise in the future. Since the largest Li reserves exist in politically unstable or uncooperative countries, demand for these critical resources are a matter of national strategic importance. Additionally, from an environmental perspective, the electrolyte in Li-ion batteries is flammable. If Li-ion batteries are burned, toxic HF could be released into the environment. Existing recycling techiques aimed at Li-ion batteries are either cost-prohibitive or unable to accommodate the ever-changing Li-ion battery chemistries. Employing a combination of improved Li-ion extractive metallurgy and sensor-based sorting technologies, the proposed collaboration between WPI and wTe will enable the development and commercialization of a novel recycling process that will address these limitations, the growing demand for critical materials, help mitigate environmental risks, and secure strategic national interests.