Characterization and Reuse of Lithium‐ion Battery Cathode Material Recovered Through a Bacterial Process

A sustainable bacteria-based lithium-ion battery cathode recycling method is optimized using engineering biology. The resulting biomineralized manganese carbonate species is found to be easily converted into an electrode material, via simple calcination. This highlights an advantage of the biological precipitation reaction over its chemical counterparts, as well as demonstrating the circular potential of this recycling approach.

Abstract

Recycling lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is imperative for securing the future demand for raw materials required for the electrification of economies worldwide. The technical challenges of recycling at a large scale involve minimizing the value loss of materials, addressing the complexity of standardization, and reducing environmental impacts. This research aims to support the development of more sustainable LIB recycling methods by utilizing bacterial biological reactions to recover manganese from spent LIBs, aligned with the principles of green chemistry. The present study describes an optimized bioseparation method to recover manganese from spent LIBs (lithium manganese oxide - LMO/ lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide - NMC) as manganese carbonate (MnCO₃) with a uniform, spherical morphology, using an engineered strain of S. oneidensis MR-1. Calcination of this bio-precipitate facilitated the transformation of the biorecovered manganese species into a sodium-manganese-phosphate “fillowite-type” phase (Na_8.71Mn₂₂(PO₄)₁₈)–a previously reported electrode material. Preliminary electrochemistry measurements revealed both faradaic and capacitive behavior, as well as exhibiting excellent material stability over 40 cycles. The calcination therefore demonstrates a simple electrode synthesis method from the biorecovered manganese and highlights a potential advantage over chemically synthesized alternatives.