This technology is a method for downcycling waste from lithium-ion batteries to synthesize precursor materials for sodium-ion batteries.
As the use of portable electronics and electric vehicles has skyrocketed, so has the global demand for lithium-ion batteries. Due to the limited supply of lithium and its toxicity to the environment, recycling lithium-ion batteries is vital. Hydrometallurgical recycling is a leaching method commonly used to extract precious metals, such as lithium, from expired batteries for reuse, but this process discards other ions, such as manganese, copper, and iron, as waste. There is a need for more sustainable recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries that reduce the waste of potentially valuable byproducts.
This technology describes a process for harnessing lithium-ion battery waste to synthesize precursor materials for sodium-ion batteries. The method involves electrochemically generating hydrogen peroxide in situ by applying a current between two electrodes in the presence of an acid, forming a digesting solution, and injecting structural materials into the leach solution to synthesize sodium-ion cathode materials. The make-up of the developed cathode composition can be tuned by varying the ratios of injected materials. This process can be applied to the downcycling of waste metals from a variety of battery recycling processes. As sodium-ion batteries have become increasingly popular worldwide, this technology can be utilized to repurpose byproducts, including manganese, copper, and iron, from existing battery recycling processes to both reduce waste and create a useful secondary product.
Patent Pending (WO/2025/029646)
IR CU24015
Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu