Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Joseph Heelan

Yan Wang

Eric Gratz

Zhangfeng Zheng

Qina Sa

Kee-Chan Kim

Diran Apelian

Ryan Mocadlo

Aaron M Birt

Ali Valamanesh

Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of desirable materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. Depending on a desired proportion, or ratio, of the desired materials, raw materials are added to the solution to achieve the desired ratio of the commingled compounds for the recycled cathode material for new cells. The desired materials precipitate out of solution without extensive heating or separation of the desired materials into individual compounds or elements. The resulting active cathode material has the predetermined ratio for use in new cells, and avoids high heat typically required to separate the useful elements because the desired materials remain commingled in solution.

Charge material for recycled lithium-ion batteries

A rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery employs a low temperature approach to battery manufacturing that forms charge material from kinetic energy of high velocity particles impelled into an aggregation such that bombardment of the particles against other particles in the aggregation forms a charge conveying structure. High velocity bombardment from a carrier gas nozzle accumulates an active charge material in a layered arrangement for the finished battery. Preparation of the particles, such as by ball milling or spraydrying, arranges particle agglomerations. The particle agglomerations, when impelled against other agglomerations or a current collector, forms a layer of cathodic, anodic or electrolytic battery material. The metallic binder conveys charge for mitigating or eliminating a need for a planar current collector underlying the sprayed layer. The resulting layers are suitable for battery operation, and are manufactured in an absence of any solvent drying or disposal.

Sprayed formation of batteries

Method and apparatus for recycling lithium-ion batteries

Growing community of inventors

Worcester, MA, United States of America

Joseph Heelan