Lithium-Ion Batteries: What They Are and How They Work

The most popular type of rechargeable batteries for commercial applications is the lithiumion (Liion) battery, widely used in electric vehicles and portable electronics. Lithium atoms at the anode get ionized and now without electrons at discharging. Upon entering the electrolyte and migrating towards the cathode, the lithium ions recombination with the electrons and generate an electric neutrality. Lithium ions are smaller in size and are able to travel between the anode and cathode through a micro-permeable separator.

The combination of materials that would serve as electrodes in Li-ion batteries would vary but among commercial portable electronic devices such as laptops and cellphones, the popular pairing is graphite (anode) and lithium cobalt oxide (cathode). Among the commonly used cathode materials are lithium iron phosphate and lithium manganese oxide, which are used in hybrid and electric cars. Li-ion batteries use ether as an electrolyte, which is an organic molecule.

Environmental Impacts of Lithium-Ion Batteries

So a good reason to bank energy in lithium-ion batteries is that it can move us toward sustainability goals in terms of energy use. That could include less reliance on fossil fuels and more on renewable energy and lithium-ion batteries, for example. However, while these be nefits are significant there are drawbacks throughout the supply chain of the battery.

Extracting heavily: Open-pit mining and brine extraction are the two mining methods that currently can be used to obtain minerals for batteries. Some of these methods can produce pollution and erosion.

Open pit mining: A way of removing vegetation to make an open pit. A deep trench is then dug. Together these all lead to wear and tear. Excessive amount of heavy metals inside the dust and the toxic soils may be induced through mining. These dusts become pollutants that put human and animals at increased risk of disease.

Brine extraction: The withdrawal of water from naturally occurring underground underground sources of drinking water. This water is evaporating at a pace faster than the water cycle can replace it. Also, toxic chemicals are necessary for brine extraction to process lithium. Their release poisons the earth, the water, and the air.

E-waste: Lithium-ion batteries, which are also referred to as e-waste, are created at their end-of-life. A sizeable portion of e-trash is improperly disposed of, with the devices winding up in landfills or the commerce waste stream, or they are dangerously taken apart or burnt for their valuable minor parts. Because they sit among a lot of flammable trash, Batteries discarded in landfills and business waste can short out and start a fire.Rechargeable batteries, if not recycled properly, can also cause a hazard in a dump if they are not in a discharged state.

And Why Should We Be Recycling Batteries?

Efficient recycling methods are a critical for reducing the environmental impact on and on raising the efficiency of these batteries as their market demand increases. Because lithium is scarce, its usage has to be managed carefully in order to avoid shortages.

To recover valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and other metals, spent batteries must be collected, taken apart and processed. By recycling, you are also helping to reduce the environmental impact of making these materials from the earth’s natural resources. When Li-ion batteries are improperly discarded, the heavy metals and chemicals they are made of are leached into the soil and water, posing risks to both human health and ecosystems.

Despite the above, the recycling of Li-ion batteries remains a challenge. Technically, these batteries have complicated chemistry and design, which makes it difficult to recycle them. The infrastructure for collecting and recycling will also need to be upgraded in order to handle the increasing number of used old batteries.

The Complicated World of Battery Recycling

Physical properties of the constituents of batteries have an enormous spectrum that varies from dry and brittle and generates dust to moist and spongy and elastic. Such temperature-sensitive product often requires a complicated multi-stage processing process. Suitable material conditioning, size reduction and screening are necessary in order to recycle materials as battery components. In order to obtain a complete recycle, all components must be brought to a uniform state of composition.