The use of lithium-ion batteries has doubled in just the last four years, highlighting the need for effective recycling methods for spent batteries. Scientists from various Polish research institutions have discovered a promising solution to the growing problem of battery waste containing hazardous substances.
The team included researchers from Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology (PBS), the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the PAS in Warsaw, and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
According to Tech Xplore, the research was focused on carbon material extracted from electrodes of spent lithium-ion batteries. The electrodes went through an acidic leaching process to recover valuable metals, and the resulting carbon material still contained trace amounts of metals (including cobalt), which is often used in catalysis. The researchers looked for a way to repurpose the battery materials for use in catalytic processes, with a particular focus on those that aid in the production of hydrogen peroxide.
The studies confirmed that all samples catalyzed an oxygen reduction reaction to produce hydrogen peroxide.
“Hydrogen peroxide is one of the fundamental chemical molecules, essential to numerous industries. Large-scale production of this substance typically demands high pressures and temperatures, costly catalysts, and various toxic electrolytes. Our focus was on developing a more environmentally friendly method for producing hydrogen peroxide: specifically, an electrochemical approach using catalysts derived from used lithium-ion batteries,” said Dr. Eng. Magdalena Warczak (PBS), project leader and lead author of the article published in ChemElectroChem.
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