Fraunhofer Institute Develops Electrochemical Process for Recycling Critical Raw Materials
Researchers at Fraunhofer IFAM are advancing an electrochemical method to recover lithium, cobalt, and nickel from battery waste. This innovation addresses the rising demand for these metals, projected to significantly enhance recovery efficiency and reduce material dependencies.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM is developing an electrochemical process to recover lithium, cobalt, and nickel from battery recycling. This method could increase recovery efficiency by 30-40% and purify materials without using energy-intensive chemicals.
The process involves routing wastewater through an electrochemical reactor with specially designed electrodes that selectively extract ions. A large-scale pilot plant is under development, which may also facilitate rare earth element recovery from electronic waste. This technology could play a significant role in meeting upcoming EU regulations on carbon footprints and recycled material content.




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