The development of hydrometallurgical recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries is challenged by the heterogeneity of the electrode powders recovered from end-of-life batteries via physical methods.
A Critical Review of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Processes from a Circular Economy Perspective. Batteries 2019, 5 (4), 68, DOI: 10.3390/batteries5040068 Lv, W.; Wang, Z.; Cao, H.; Sun, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Sun, Z. A Critical Review and Analysis on the Recycling of Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries.
The recycling rate calculation for the lithium-ion battery recycling process will always refer to the incoming batteries and not to the black mass. The first recycler handling the end-of-life battery will be responsible for achieving the recycling target if they do not also directly handle the black mass treatment.
Recycling for LIBs usually involves both physical and chemical processes (Harper et al., 2019). Due to the complex assembly process of LIBs and the wide variety of electrodes, it brings great danger for the recovery of battery. The explosion, combustion and poisonous gas brought on the recovery process are easy to cause casualties.
The current change in battery technology followed by the almost immediate adoption of lithium as a key resource powering our energy needs in various applications is undeniable. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are at the forefront of the industry and offer excellent performance. The application of LIBs is expected to continue to increase.
To prevent spent LIBs from entering the black market and to create an organized recycling market, it is necessary to establish a battery-tracking mechanism. Each battery can be assigned an identification number, which can be uploaded into the tracking system throughout the end-of-life value chain to facilitate recycling development.