With new partnerships, we could soon see more lithium-ion batteries made from recycled materials. Battery materials producer BASF announced a partnership with graphene energy products manufacturer Nanotech Energy to produce lithium-ion batteries using recycled materials for North American customers.
BASF will use recycled metals from its Battle Creek, Michigan, plant to make cathode active materials, and Nanotech will use the materials to make lithium-ion batteries. According to BASF, making batteries from recycled metal can reduce the carbon dioxide footprint by about 25%.
In addition, BASF and Nanotech Energy will also cooperate with American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) and Canadian TODA Advanced Materials. ABTC will recycle materials such as nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium collected by Nanotech. TODA will then use these materials to create battery precursors, which BASF will then convert into cathode active materials.
Lithium-ion batteries are commonly found in other devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, power tools, and other technology products, but some of the largest batteries are used in electric vehicles. Not only do these bulky batteries require more minerals, but they also create a huge e-waste problem when discarded, requiring better recycling programs.
Daniel Schönfelder, Vice President Battery Base Metals and Recycling at BASF, said in a statement: “Our cooperation with Nanotech, ABTC and TODA marks an important step for BASF’s global battery recycling business. Now, We are building North America’s first closed-loop system. This allows BASF and Nanotech to produce lithium-ion batteries with locally recycled content.”
As electric vehicle production continues to increase, the Biden administration has been working to establish a lithium battery supply chain and recycling program in the United States. Last year, the Department of Energy announced it would allocate $3.1 billion to help companies build battery production facilities. In June, the Department of Energy also announced it would provide $192 million in funding to promote battery recycling.