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Fruit Peels Power Up Battery Recycling
15 Sep
Summary
- Fruit peels are used to extract metals from lithium-ion batteries.
- A pilot plant in Singapore processes shredded batteries using fruit waste.
- Recovered metals can be used to create new batteries with similar capacity.
Researchers in Singapore have developed an innovative pilot plant that recycles lithium-ion batteries using discarded fruit peels. This facility, operational near Pioneer since late 2022, can process up to 2,000 litres of shredded batteries at a time, effectively combining two waste streams: food waste and spent batteries.
The process begins with shredding used batteries, separating plastics and metals. The remaining black mass, containing essential electrode metals, is then dissolved using mixtures derived from fruit peel waste. Natural acids present in oranges, lemons, and pineapples efficiently extract cobalt, lithium, nickel, and manganese at low temperatures.
These extracted metals are converted into metal salts, which are then used to manufacture new batteries. Early tests indicate that batteries produced with these recovered metals exhibit a charge capacity comparable to commercial batteries, demonstrating a viable path towards a circular economy for battery materials.
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Se-cure Waste Management (SWM) partnered to bring this technology to a pilot stage, building on NTU's 2020 proof-of-concept study. The project, supported by Singapore's National Research Foundation and National Environment Agency, aims to commercialize the process by 2024, supplying recycled materials globally.
This initiative is particularly critical as global demand for batteries rises, leading to an exponential increase in spent batteries. Currently, less than 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, with estimates suggesting spent batteries could reach 11 million tonnes by 2030. This method offers a dual solution to both battery and food waste challenges.
