Czech scientists discover way to recycle EV batteries, could reduce dependence on China
A group of researchers at the Czech Academy of Sciences developed a method of recycling rare earth minerals used in batteries for electronic vehicles. China has long been considered to hold a monopoly over mining and refining these elements. With this new discovery, Czech scientists pave the way for a potentially more sustainable and independent practice within Europe.
Research at the IOCB - Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry - focused primarily on neodymium magnets, the strongest permanent magnets known, commonly used in cars, phones and turbines. Their high charge makes them extremely effective in electricity transmission, but also very dangerous in case of explosion.
Besides neodymium, they are composed primarily of praseodymium, and contain small doses of dysprosium and terbium. The IOCB also discovered presence of holmium, significant enough from a recycling perspective, though not disclosed by magnet producers. All elements are members of the lanthanide series, considered to be rare-earth minerals.
According to the International Energy Agency China boasts the largest deposits of these minerals, and controls 90% of its global production. In Europe, these elements are only found in small amounts. Miloslav Polášek, one of the scientists at IOCB, explains what all comes with refining these rare-earth elements:
“Cascades of devices are needed – hundreds, even thousands of reactors – where the material is mixed and extracted. This process produces a large amount of waste, acids, and extraction agents. What is essential is that the ore does not contain only rare earth elements, but uranium and thorium too, which generates radioactive waste as well.”
Concerns about sustainability, especially as demand for electronic vehicles and hence neodymium magnets is on the rise, were one of the drivers behind the research. According to IOCB researcher Kelsea Jones, it was also just a case of developing an easier and more accessible way of reusing electric motors:
“We can use water as a solvent, no need for organic solvents or concentrated acids. Room temperature is enough. The idea is to keep it simple, something that doesn't require extremely difficult conditions that would be hard to reproduce on an industrial scale.”
The process relies on the use of chelating agents, organic molecules capable of bonding with metal ions. These are added to dissolved magnets, forming compounds with individual rare-earth elements, which can then be filtered out in order of precipitation or according to weight.
Polášek explains, that electric motors include several variations of neodymium magnets. Depending on their location within the motor some need to be more heat-resistant, which is reflected their composition. The newly devised method can be used for all, and has already been tested on several real-life electric motors.
“We processed the magnets in several cycles of element separation, eventually obtaining neodymium with a purity of 99.7%. That is more than sufficient for producing new magnets,” the expert says.
Following these successful trials, the method is heading to the market. Czech scientists have already secured necessary patents and are looking for commercial partners.
