According to reports, the theoretical recycling volume of lithium-ion batteries in the Chinese market reached 478,000 tons in 2020. Among them, the theoretical recycling volume of lithium-ion batteries for automobiles (EVs) has exceeded that of small lithium-ion batteries, reaching 257,000 tons.
It is estimated that by 2025, the theoretical recycling volume of lithium-ion batteries in China will reach 988,000 tons, with a significantly faster growth rate.
Another set of data shows that although the theoretical recycling volume of lithium-ion batteries in the Chinese market reached 478,000 tons in 2020, the actual statistically available recycling volume was only 196,000 tons, accounting for only 41%.
Battery recycling technology urgently needs a breakthrough. Recently, according to foreign media reports, scientists from the University of Leicester and the University of Birmingham in the UK have jointly developed a new technology that can more effectively extract reusable materials from old lithium-ion batteries.
This new technology involves placing metal foil electrodes from lithium-ion batteries into a machine where a device called a sonotrode subjects them to focused ultrasonic pulses. This causes the active material coating of the electrodes to peel off from the underlying aluminum or copper substrate.
Therefore, precious metals and active materials such as lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt can be recovered in a purer and more easily recyclable form. Importantly, this process is reportedly more energy-efficient and claimed to be 100 times faster than traditional technologies.
"It works essentially like a dentist's ultrasonic scaler, breaking down the adhesive between the coating and the substrate," said Professor Andy Abbott of the University of Leicester, the study's lead scientist. "The initial application of this technology could very well send recycled materials directly back to the battery production line. This is a truly significant revolution in the field of battery recycling."
