Mobility Grant of Ms Mamata Mohapatra

project summary

The aim of the research collaborations is to develop synergistic energy materials applicable to scalable renewable energy storage technology from secondary sources such as spent lithium ion battery. The crucial ingredients of lithium-ion batteries, namely cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel and carbon in the form of graphite. Among them cobalt and lithium supply chains could become limited because of production facilities, geographical distribution, and other variable.

As of now lithium ion batteries (LIB) do not provide much economic incentive for recycling since recovery of battery grade cobalt, manganese and lithium compound from these batteries proves to be more expensive than obtaining these metals from their ores. Development of new efficient processes both for metal dissolution and formulating marketable products are a necessity to meet the future recycling targets. The main focus in recycling of Li-ion batteries is the recovery of cobalt since this metal has a high economic value and is critical raw material for many countries. Moreover, recovery of other valuable metals, including lithium, may become viable in future. Therefore, sustainable recycling process for such waste with a goal to develop energy material will be taken up. Through this opportunity transferring and re-evaluating the scientific knowledge in waste recycling and energy material development will be done.