Inorganic Photoluminescent Microparticles as Identifiers for the Sorting of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Recycling Technology

Background:

• Growing demand for lithium-ion batteries in the EU exacerbates critical raw material scarcity.
• Efficient and economical recycling processes are crucial for establishing a circular economy in battery production.
• High-purity material streams are essential for effective battery recycling, necessitating reliable data during the process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate photoluminescent (PL) microparticles as novel identifiers for efficient sorting of battery cathode materials.
• To demonstrate the practical application and feasibility of PL microparticles in a pre-industrial pilot sorting facility.
• To explore the potential of PL microparticles for creating diverse identifier codes to enhance battery recycling.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of PL microparticles within battery electrodes.
• Identification of particles via unique fluorescence emission signals.
• Testing in a pre-industrial pilot sorting facility to assess sorting efficiency and particle influence.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated feasibility of using PL microparticles in the cathode environment.
• Established the relationship between particle concentration and measurable emission signal.
• Achieved highly efficient sorting of battery cathodes using three different PL microparticles on a pilot scale.
• Examined the influence of PL particles on electrochemical performance.

Conclusions:

• PL microparticles offer a viable solution for identifying and sorting battery cathode materials.
• This technology supports the development of more efficient and economical battery recycling processes.
• The use of PL microparticles is key to exploiting the potential of advanced identifier codes for a circular economy in batteries.