SBIR Phase II: A Direct Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Process Yielding Battery-Grade Cathode Materials

SBIR第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是显著提高锂离子电池(LIB)回收的经济性，同时将其对环境的影响降至最低。与其他回收方法相比，直接回收使用更少的能源，产生更少的污染废物和更少的排放，同时生产更有价值的产品。拟议的项目将推动回收技术的开发，以降低Lib成本，减少Lib生产对昂贵原始金属开采的依赖，创造Lib材料的本地供应，并促进清洁能源产品的采用(例如电动汽车、电网存储)。该SBIR第二阶段项目建议在试点范围内开发一种具有成本效益和可扩展的直接回收工艺。拟议的项目将研究LiB的失活、组分分离、纯化和再生过程，这些过程可以经济地大规模复制。例如，更快、更安全、更具成本效益的电池停用过程也可以用于其他废物管理过程中，以释放电池。该项目还将使人们能够更好地了解电极提取和净化过程的关键参数，从而能够保存电极的化学和形态。通过对回收材料的结构、形貌和电化学性能的表征，本项目将使人们更深刻地了解再硫化和热处理条件对回收正极材料质量的影响。总而言之，这些研究不仅将促进对直接回收过程背后的过程、化学和机械的认识和理解，还将促进对生产规模LiB回收操作的过程优化的认识和理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this SBIR Phase II project is to significantly improve the economics of lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling, while minimizing its environmental impact. Direct recycling uses less energy and generates less pollutive waste and fewer emissions than alternative recycling approaches, while simultaneously producing more valuable products. The proposed project will advance the development of a recycling technology that will lower LIB cost, reduce the reliance of LIB production on the mining of expensive virgin metals, create a local supply of LIB materials, and facilitate the adoption of clean energy products (e.g., electric vehicles, grid storage). This SBIR Phase II project proposes to develop a cost-effective and scalable direct recycling process at a pilot-scale level. The proposed project will study LIB deactivation, component separation, purification, and regeneration processes that can be economically reproduced on a large scale. For example, a battery deactivation process that is quicker, safer, and cost-effective can be used in other waste management processes as well to discharge batteries. This project also will enable a better understanding of the key parameters of electrode extraction and purification processes able to preserve electrode chemistry and morphology. By focusing on the characterization of structure, morphology and electrochemical performance of the recycled materials, this project will lead to a more profound understanding of the effect of relithiation and heat treatment conditions on the quality of recycled cathode materials. Together, these studies will advance the knowledge and understanding of not only the process, chemistry, and mechanics behind the direct recycling process but also process optimization for a production-scale LIB recycling operation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.