Short-loop recycling of LIB cathode and Anode Materials Using Oil Nanoemulsions

Open to UK applicants only

It has been estimated that, in the UK alone, a stockpile of ca. 70,000-106,000 units of obsolete end-of-first-life EV batteries are waiting to be recycled in 2025. The challenge facing major OEMs is how to recycle and remanufacture EV cells without destructive recovery of precious metals via pyro/hydrometallurgical processes, which are the current industry standards. A recent Leicester-developed and patent-pending technology demonstrated success in separation of black mass from different sources into highly pure cathode and anode components using ultrasound-generated vegetable oil-in-water nano emulsions.[1] The process takes minutes and enables short-loop recycling of LIBs without altering the original battery crystalline structure. This is the ideal method to reprocess production scrap batteries to allow active materials to be directly recast into another cell. However, research question remains because no one has benchmarked short-loop remanufactured cells against pristine cells from which the materials were recovered from.

This EPSRC project, in collaboration with a major automotive OEM, will benchmark the performance of short-loop remanufactured EV cells using reprocessed materials as compared to virgin cells the materials were recovered from. The project will also carry out technoeconomic and life-cycle analysis on the novel binders and benchmark the data against current best available technology. There will be an opportunity to carry out placement studies with the CASE sponsor.

Applications are sought from talented and motivated UK candidates with an academic background in chemistry or material science. Experience of batteries or electrochemistry would be an advantage but is not essential.

To apply please refer to our web page at https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/funded-opportunities/chem-epsrc-yang

For queries regarding the project, please email Jake Yang directly jake.yang@leicester.ac.uk

General advice please email csepgr@le.ac.uk and include Chem EPSRC Yang in the subject line.