Second life and recycling: Energy and environmental sustainability perspectives for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Second life and recycling of retired automotive lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have drawn growing attention, as large volumes of LIBs will retire in the coming decade. Here, we illustrate how battery chemistry, use, and recycling can influence the energy and environmental sustainability of LIBs. We fi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science advances 2021-11, Vol.7 (45), p.eabi7633-eabi7633
Main Authors: Tao, Yanqiu, Rahn, Christopher D, Archer, Lynden A, You, Fengqi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Engineering
Materials Science
Physical and Materials Sciences
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Summary:Second life and recycling of retired automotive lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have drawn growing attention, as large volumes of LIBs will retire in the coming decade. Here, we illustrate how battery chemistry, use, and recycling can influence the energy and environmental sustainability of LIBs. We find that LIBs with higher specific energy show better life cycle environmental performances, but their environmental benefits from second life application are less pronounced. Direct cathode recycling is found to be the most effective in reducing life cycle environmental impacts, while hydrometallurgical recycling provides limited sustainability benefits for high-performance LIBs. Battery design with less aluminum and alternative anode materials, such as silicon-based anode, could enable more sustainable LIB recycling. Compared to directly recycling LIBs after their electric vehicle use, carbon footprint and energy use of LIBs recycled after their second life can be reduced by 8 to 17% and 2 to 6%, respectively.
ISSN:2375-2548
2375-2548
DOI:10.1126/sciadv.abi7633