Raw Materials and Recycling of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract The growth in the electric vehicle (EV) and the associated lithium-ion battery (LIB) market globally has been both exponential and inevitable. This is mainly due to the drive toward sustainability through the electrification of transport. This chapter briefly reviews and analyzes the value chain of LIBs, as well as the supply risks of the raw material provisions. It illustrates some of the global environmental and economic impacts of using materials such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel, in both their original and secondary usage and final disposal. To assist in the understanding of the supply and safety risks associated with the materials used in LIBs, this chapter explains in detail the various active cathode chemistries of the numerous LIBs currently available, including the specific battery contents, how the batteries are grouped into families, and the supply risks associated with the materials used. A detailed description of the three existing recycling processes and material yields from each recycling process is given. This is followed by a discussion on the challenges and opportunities that come with each of these recycling processes. There is an overview of battery recycling regulation in the three major markets, China, the EU, and the USA; and how they impact one another. Finally, we highlight the safety issues associated with the transportation, processing, and recycling of LIBs with a focus on the primary risks of LIB fires and how to prevent them. This chapter concludes by summarizing the key findings of this work.