A research team at Rice University led by James Tour, the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry and professor of materials science and nanoengineering, is tackling the environmental issue of efficiently recycling lithium ion batteries amid their increasing use. The team has pioneered a new method to extract purified active materials from battery waste. Their findings have the potential to facilitate the effective separation and recycling of valuable battery materials at a minimal fee, contributing to a greener production of electric vehicles (EVs).
鈥淲ith the surge in battery use, particularly in EVs, the need for developing sustainable recycling methods is pressing,鈥� Tour said. Conventional recycling techniques typically involve breaking down battery materials into their elemental forms through energy-intensive thermal or chemical processes that are costly and have significant environmental impacts.
The team proposed that magnetic properties could facilitate the separation and purification of spent battery materials. Their innovation uses a method known as solvent-free flash Joule heating (FJH). This technique devised by Tour involves passing a current through a moderately resistive material to rapidly heat and transform it into other substances.