Researchers at Cornell University have made a breakthrough in recycling lithium-ion batteries. They’ve developed a method called Direct Electrode-to-Electrode Regeneration, or DEER, which restores worn-out battery electrodes so they can be used again. This is a big deal because it could make it possible to refurbish some electric vehicle batteries at a lower cost and with less energy than traditional recycling methods.
The problem with old lithium-ion batteries is that a layer called the solid electrolyte interphase builds up on the electrodes, slowing down the movement of electrons and reducing the battery’s capacity. The Cornell process involves taking apart used battery cells and soaking the electrodes in a special solution that removes the excess layer without damaging the electrode itself. The renewed electrodes can then be used to build new battery cells, and the researchers found that they can recover up to 95% of their original capacity.
The DEER method is different from most commercial recycling methods, which typically involve shredding or crushing batteries to recover valuable materials like lithium and cobalt. While those methods work, they also destroy the electrodes and other parts that might still be usable. The Cornell approach treats the battery more like a device that can be repaired, rather than just a source of metals. This could be especially useful for electric vehicle batteries, which are often removed from cars when they still have a lot of life left in them. However, the method isn’t suitable for all batteries, and there are still some practical hurdles to overcome before it can be used commercially.