HolE-LIB – Developing a Holistic Ecosystem for Sustainable Repurposing and/or Recycling of Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) in Norway and the EU

A project in the Interdisciplinary Sustainable Initiatives at NTNU

HolE-LIB – Developing a Holistic Ecosystem for Sustainable Repurposing and/or Recycling of Lithium-ion Batteries (LIBs) in Norway and the EU

Five researchers in a laboratory. Photo

HoLE LIB

HoLE LIB

From a Norwegian perspective, the battery value chain can be seen as an exceptional sustainable value creation opportunity primarily based on Norway's comparative advantage with a competence-driven materials sector based on renewable power.

The sustainability depends in part on the ability to reuse and recycle batteries and the compounds they contain. Research into factors which affect customer acceptance in case of repurposed batteries is so far extremely limited.

On the other hand, a robust recycling process needs to be developed that can cater to different battery types, designs, chemistries, etc. for competitive disruption of the battery market. Currently, there exists no techno-economically efficient Li recycling process and further, the graphite from lithium-ion battery (LIB) anodes is not recycled.

Development of innovative separation processes are expected to positively impact the circular economy and enable sustainable business model (SBM) innovation.

The project involves specialists within engineering, design and economics through a multi-disciplinary research collaboration across six departments and four faculties at NTNU.

The current project will develop a holistic understanding of the fate of end-of-life batteries by addressing technical, economic, and design perspectives along the battery value chain, complemented by evaluation of sustainable business model scenarios within reuse, repurposing and recycling.

 

Sustainable Business Models of Repurposed and Recycled LIBs

PhD Candidate

Saad Ahmed

Supervisors

Elli Verhulst
Casper Boks

Description

This project will address how advancements in the repurposing and recycling of LIBs can facilitate sustainable business model innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Such innovations and other changes in the value chain of LIBs can lead to new business models, support business model transformation, diversification, or acquisition.

 

Design for Sustainability – User Acceptance of Repurposed LIBs

PhD Candidate

Leander Spyridon Pantelatos

Supervisors

Casper Boks
Elli Verhulst

Description

Batteries evoke emotions of both convenience, cheapness, sustainability but also uncertainty, disgust and even fear. The main focus here will be on consumer and market research to understand customer acceptance of repurposed end-of-life batteries in various household/home/cabin application contexts.

 

Closing the Battery Loop Using Pyro-hydro Metallurgy

Post Doc

Mohammad Ibrahim

Supervisors

Ragnhild Elizabeth Aune
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay

Description

This project aims to push for closing the battery materials loop by converting black mass into a mixed metallic product directly suitable for cathode remanufacturing. Using combination of pyro and hydrometallurgy, the focus will be to maximize recycling critical materials towards circular economy and resource efficiency.

 

Development of Green Solvents for Metals Recovery from End-of-Life LIBs

PhD Candidate

Usman Saleem

Supervisors

Hanna Knuutila
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay

Description

The aim is to develop solvents and sorbents for selective Li recovery. The focus is on characterization, experimental evaluation of selectivity, extraction performance, feasibility study of the process and possibilities to recycle the materials. The specific research area is Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) and recycling of Electric Vehicle Lithium Ion Batteries with a focus on Lithium recovery.

 

Recovering Materials from End-of-Life LIBs using Green Chemistry

PhD Candidate

Chiedza Thelma Nzuma

Supervisors

Pshem Kowalczuk
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay

Description

The focus will be on developing environmentally sustainable recovery of the metallic and non-metallic components from end-of-life LIBs using physical and chemical methods. Of primary interest, is recovery of graphite and leaching of metals mediated by environmentally benign reagents and purification by foam flotation.

 

Sustainable Business Models of Repurposed and Recycled Batteries

Conference Papers

Ahmed, S.,  Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Sustainable Business Models for the Second life of EV Lithium ion Batteries in an Ecosystem context: A Review. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference

Ahmed, S.,  Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Second Life of EV Lithium ion Batteries from a Sustainable Business Model Perspective. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesign Conference (In press)

Seminars/Presentation

PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation

Greenlunch Seminar 2023

Public Dissemination

PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation

Student Projects/Course work

Building sustainable solutions for the lithium ion battery value chain in Norway (TIØ4856)

 

Design for Sustainability User Acceptance of Repurposed EV LIBs

Conference Papers

Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). A Review of Repurposing Lithium-ion Batteries for Household Applications. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference

Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). Repusposing Lithium-ion Batteries for the Household Context: An Industry investigation in Norway. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesgin Conference (In press)

Seminars/Presentation

PEC Annual Days 2023 - Poster Presentation

Public Dissemination

Presentation at NTNU Kveld: Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier?

Student Projects/Course work

Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2022). Sustainable Second-Life for EV Batteries (TPD4500 Design 9, NTNU)

Master’s Thesis

Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2023). A Speculative Perspective in the Future of Second-life Electric Vehicle Batteries alternatives

Kaarud, A.B. (2024) (Design for User Acceptance of Repurposed Batteries) (IN PROGRESS)

 

Closing the Battery Loop Using Pyro-Hydro Metallury

Conference Papers

Olsen, A.M., Bandyopadhyay, S., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Characterization of Black Mass After Different Pre-treatment Processes for Optimized Metal Recovery, In: TMS 2024 153rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition Supplemental Proceedings, TMS 2024, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. (2024) pp. 389-408. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50349-8_34

Ibrahim, M., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Understanding the Transformation of Battery-based Black Mass Through Different Pre-treatment Processes, In: Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry XVII Proceedings, Trondheim, Norway, September 10-13, 2024

Seminars/Presentation

Aune, R.E., Recycling Li-Ion Batteries (LIBs) - A Crucial Step Towards Sustainability, RMW17 (The 17th Workshop on Reactive Metal Processing), MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cambridge, Boston, USA, March 8-9, 2024

Student Projects/Course work

Assessment of Critical Raw Materials Recovery from End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Products

Peyriller, Lauriane Nathalie Arwen. Exploring the Impact of Pre-treatment Processes on the Characterisation of Black Mass for Enhanced Metal Recovery from Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs)

 

Development of Green Solvents for Metals Recovery from EOL LIBs

 

Recovering Materials from EOL LIBs using Green Chemistry

Master’s Thesis

LFP Battery recycling

2024

  • PhD candidate Chiedza Thelma Nzuma has joined our team from March 2024. 
  • PhD candidate Amalie My Olsen has decided to leave her position. 

2023

  • On 20th February, we presented our research at NTNU Kveld. The event name was titled 'Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier? Hvordan lykkes med resirkulering av batterier?'.
  • On 6th December, the PhD candidates Saad Ahmed and Leander Pantelatos, and Project member Casper Boks visited 4R Energy in Namie, Japan along with a delegation from Japan and Germany. 
  • On 31st May - 2nd of June, PhD candidates Saad Ahmed and Leander Pantelatos presented their research at the Plate Conference 2023 at Aalto University, Finland.

PhD projects

PhD projects

The research work will involve development of solvents for selective Li recovery at low pH. The focus will be on experimental evaluation of selectivity and extraction performance of selected solvents, experimental characterization of solvent and feasibility study of the process, including possibilities to recycle the solvent.

Department of Chemical Engineering

​​​​​​PhD candidate

Usman Saleem

Supervisors

Hanna Knuutila
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay

This project aims to push for closing the battery materials loop by converting black mass into a mixed metallic product directly suitable for cathode remanufacturing. Using combination of pyro and hydrometallurgy, the focus will be to maximize recycling critical materials towards circular economy and resource efficiency.

Post Doc

Mohammad Ibrahim

Supervisors

Ragnhild Elizabeth Aune
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay

Conference Papers

Olsen, A.M., Bandyopadhyay, S., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Characterization of Black Mass After Different Pre-treatment Processes for Optimized Metal Recovery, In: TMS 2024 153rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition Supplemental Proceedings, TMS 2024, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. (2024) pp. 389-408. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50349-8_34

Ibrahim, M., Arnberg, L., and Aune, R.E., Understanding the Transformation of Battery-based Black Mass Through Different Pre-treatment Processes, In: Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry XVII Proceedings, Trondheim, Norway, September 10-13, 2024

Seminars/Presentation

Aune, R.E., Recycling Li-Ion Batteries (LIBs) - A Crucial Step Towards Sustainability, RMW17 (The 17th Workshop on Reactive Metal Processing), MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cambridge, Boston, USA, March 8-9, 2024

Student Projects/Course work

Assessment of Critical Raw Materials Recovery from End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Products

Peyriller, Lauriane Nathalie Arwen. Exploring the Impact of Pre-treatment Processes on the Characterisation of Black Mass for Enhanced Metal Recovery from Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs)

The focus will be on developing environmentally sustainable recovery of the metallic and non-metallic components from end-of-life LIBs using physical and chemical methods. Of primary interest, is recovery of graphite and leaching of metals mediated by environmentally benign reagents and purification by foam flotation.

Department of Geoscience

PhD candidate

Chiedza Thelma Nzuma

Supervisor

Pshem Kowalczuk
Sulalit Bandyopadhyay

Master’s Thesis

LFP Battery recycling

Batteries evoke emotions of both convenience, cheapness, sustainability but also uncertainty, disgust and even fear. The main focus here will be on consumer and market research to understand customer acceptance of repurposed end-of-life batteries in various household/home/cabin application contexts.

Department of Design

PhD candidate

Leander Spyridon Pantelatos

Supervisors

Casper Boks
Elli Verhulst

Conference Papers

Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). A Review of Repurposing Lithium-ion Batteries for Household Applications. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference

Pantelatos, L. S., Boks, C., & Verhulst, E. (2023). Repusposing Lithium-ion Batteries for the Household Context: An Industry investigation in Norway. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesgin Conference (In press)

Seminars/Presentation

PEC Annual Days 2023 - Poster Presentation

Public Dissemination

Presentation at NTNU Kveld: Vil Norge drukne i brukte bilbatterier?

Student Projects/Course work

Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2022). Sustainable Second-Life for EV Batteries (TPD4500 Design 9, NTNU)

Master’s Thesis

Jaime Jaimes, A. F. (2023). A Speculative Perspective in the Future of Second-life Electric Vehicle Batteries alternatives

Kaarud, A.B. (2024) (Design for User Acceptance of Repurposed Batteries) (IN PROGRESS)

This project will address how advancements in the repurposing and recycling of LIBs can facilitate sustainable business model innovation in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Such innovations and other changes in the value chain of LIBs can lead to new business models, support business model transformation, diversification, or acquisition.

Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management

PhD candidate

Saad Ahmed

Supervisors

Elli Verhulst
Casper Boks

Conference Papers

Ahmed, S.,  Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Sustainable Business Models for the Second life of EV Lithium ion Batteries in an Ecosystem context: A Review. In PROCEEDINGS 5th PLATE Conference

Ahmed, S.,  Verhulst, E. , & Boks, C.(2023). Second Life of EV Lithium ion Batteries from a Sustainable Business Model Perspective. In PROCEEDINGS EcoDesign Conference (In press)

Seminars/Presentation

PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation

Greenlunch Seminar 2023

Public Dissemination

PEC Annual Days 2023 Poster Presentation

Student Projects/Course work

Building sustainable solutions for the lithium ion battery value chain in Norway (TIØ4856)

​​​​​​

ABout HolE-LIB

Master thesis in HolE-LIB

Digital technologies are often hailed as enabling tools for sustainable transformations. Digital technologies can help save energy, connect people globally, and inform decisions through big data. While digital technologies have great potential, they are not neutral. In fact, the digital transformation of our societies might in many cases act as a roadblock for sustainable transformations.
 
More to come....

Project Timeline and Funding

HolE-LIB is funded by NTNU Sustainability.
 
The project was initiated in 2022 and will run in its current state until 2026, during whichtime the research infrastructure will be operationalised and made increasingly available to other research projects.

Want to be involved?

HolE-LIB is always looking for good discussions with others. Do drop us a line if you have something you want to discuss.