A review of the importance of recycling lithium-ion batteries for lithium, in view of impending electric vehicle industry

Automobile electrification is one the technological developments, that will commence an earth friendly transport system, by mitigating emissions and hopefully lead to a less fossil fuel dependent society. With commercial success attained by models like Nissan’s leaf and Chevy’s Volt, the consumer market looks promising to assimilate vehicle electrification. At present these technologies include HEVs (hybrid electric vehicles), PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), EVs (complete electric vehicles). A closer look at these technologies will lead us to one of the crucial components of electric vehicles, the “batteries”. This component decides one of the key performance factors which is the energy storage and usage, which means it is the basis for public acceptability. The lithium-ion battery chemistries are chosen to fulfill this requirement. Although lithium constitutes of a small fraction of the complete battery weight, still its contin-ued availability in future is debated among many resource analysts

Investigation of HEV Li-ion Batteries for Lithium Recovery

Automobile electrification is one of the technological developments that may establish an eco-friendly transport system by mitigating vehicle emissions, and hopefully lead to a less fossil fuel-dependent society. Conservative forecasts predict four million electric cars on the road by 2015 (Bernhart et al., 2012). A crucial component of electric vehicles is the battery. This component affects two key performance factors, energy storage and usage. This implies that battery performance is the basis for public acceptance of electric vehicles. The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery chemistries are the most popular battery chemistries to fulfill this requirement (especially for the complete electric vehicles) among manufacturers. The large influx of HEVs and EVs will present unique challenges for the safe disposal and recycling of their batteries at the end of product life. The high energy density, ironically the characteristic that makes the Li-ion batteries ideal for electric drive, is the cause for concern in handling and processing them at their end of life. However, recycling end-of-life batteries for their constituent metals has multifold advantages. If successful, recycling may effectively mitigate environmental effects of mining/ brine extractions for virgin metals and raw material transportation emissions. In addition, it can also balance fluctuating cost dynamics and ensure a steady supply of raw material. Leaching and separation of the metals in the leachates are two of the main steps in a hydrometallurgy process. Mastering these two steps will allow for the possibility to develop a successful process for the recovery of metals e.g., Li, Cu, Al, Ni, and Mn. In this work, characterizing of the electrochemically active material on the electrodes in relation to their chemical composition and physical phases using XRD, SEM coupled with EDX was done. Leaching study showed that the state of battery charge or microstructure did not affect lechability of metals from the electrodes. Preliminary solvent extraction experiments using the extractants (Cyanex 272, Cyanex 923 and HDBM) resulted in successful separation of Li from other metal ions from chloride solutions

Cosserat Analysis of Microscale Structures

In this thesis, the application of Cosserat mechanics to micro-scale structures is explored. Different structures considered include micro-scale gyroscopes, micro-cantilevers, and clamped-clamped micro-structures. Two-dimensional formulations with nonlinearities up to third order are derived and presented. Different parameterization schemes are used and the equivalence between the obtained results is discussed. Comparisons with prior results available in the literature are made in terms of inertia properties, stiffness properties, and natural frequencies. The present work points to the importance of considering Cosserat mechanics for examining the motions of micro-scale structures that undergo large as well as coupled deformations

Investigation of HEV Li-ion Batteries for Lithium Recovery

Automobile electrification is one of the technological developments that may establish aneco-friendly transport system by mitigating vehicle emissions, and hopefully lead to a lessfossil fuel-dependent society. Conservative forecasts predict four million electric cars onthe road by 2015 (Bernhart et al., 2012). A crucial component of electric vehicles is thebattery. This component affects two key performance factors, energy storage and usage.This implies that battery performance is the basis for public acceptance of electric vehicles.The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery chemistries are the most popular battery chemistriesto fulfill this requirement (especially for the complete electric vehicles) among manufacturers.The large influx of HEVs and EVs will present unique challenges for the safedisposal and recycling of their batteries at the end of product life. The high energy density,ironically the characteristic that makes the Li-ion batteries ideal for electric drive, isthe cause for concern in handling and processing them at their end of life.However, recycling end-of-life batteries for their constituent metals has multifold advantages.If successful, recycling may effectively mitigate environmental effects of mining/brine extractions for virgin metals and raw material transportation emissions. In addition,it can also balance fluctuating cost dynamics and ensure a steady supply of rawmaterial.Leaching and separation of the metals in the leachates are two of the main steps in a hydrometallurgyprocess. Mastering these two steps will allow for the possibility to developa successful process for the recovery of metals e.g., Li, Cu, Al, Ni, and Mn.In this work, characterizing of the electrochemically active material on the electrodes inrelation to their chemical composition and physical phases using XRD, SEM coupled withEDX was done. Leaching study showed that the state of battery charge or microstructuredid not affect lechability of metals from the electrodes. Preliminary solvent extractionexperiments using the extractants (Cyanex 272, Cyanex 923 and HDBM) resulted in successfulseparation of Li from other metal ions from chloride solutions