Korea Institute of Energy Research develops eco-friendly EV battery recycling technology

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) have developed an eco-friendly solution-based process for the direct recycling of electric vehicle (EV) spent batteries. The technology addresses a major hurdle in battery recycling: separating the current collector from the cathode material without using harmful chemicals that cause heavy metal wastewater pollution.

By using a diethylene glycol solution heated to 130°C, the team triggered an oxidation reaction that produces glycolaldehyde. This substance weakens the adhesion between the cathode material and the current collector, allowing for clean separation. This process also enables the simultaneous recharging of lithium ions into the cathode material.

In laboratory tests, the method successfully restored the capacity of NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) cathode materials to 99.1% and LFP (lithium iron phosphate) materials to 99.7% of their original performance. The core separation process takes approximately 30 minutes. Researchers noted that the simplicity of the process and the lack of need for specialized airtight environments make it highly suitable for industrial application, though full-scale implementation may take time.