Advancements in Dry Cathode Recycling Techniques Announced

The MEET Battery Research Center and the Institute for Business and Economics at the University of Münster have made a significant breakthrough in battery recycling. They have developed a method for recycling dry-processed cathodes from lithium-ion batteries, a development that is not only beneficial for sustainability but also for cost reasons.

The research, published in the prestigious journal "Advanced Energy Materials", highlights the importance and potential impact of this development. The dry processing method eliminates expensive and sometimes toxic organic solvents, making it a more environmentally friendly approach.

In the recycling process, mills detach the cathode composite from the current collector and granulate it, preserving all components in their original form. This means that the active material, PTFE binder, and conductive carbon remain intact, allowing for direct reuse.

Maike Michelle Gnutzmann, a doctoral student, states that dry mechanical methods using mills can successfully implement and scale recycling for dry-processed cathodes. The University of Münster's MEET Battery Research Center is also researching the dry processing of electrodes for battery cell production, with the aim of making battery production more environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

The Institute for Business and Economics conducted a life cycle cost analysis and found the recycling process to be profitable. Integrating recycling options from the outset is essential to strengthen the circular economy of batteries.

While the development of a method for recycling dry-processed anodes of lithium-ion batteries has not been explicitly identified in the provided search results, it is clear that the University of Münster is at the forefront of battery recycling research, paving the way for a more sustainable future in battery production.