Recycling of lithium ion batteries using fungi based organic acids

Abstract

There is a huge demand for the rechargeable Lithium ion batteries around the world as they act as the energy source for the electronic gadgets like smart phones, lap tops etc. There is also a revolution in the automotive sector in the form of electric vehicles(EVs)because of the depletion of fuels and environmental issues. The evolution of battery technology in the automotive sector has resulted in the usage of Lithium ion battery in electric vehicles because of the advantages such as eco-friendly, light weight, compactness and fast charging. Having a huge demand on one side, the trace of Lithium metals in the earth’s surface is getting reduced. For sustainable growth of electric vehicles, an effective and economical recycling technique for Lithium ion batteries is necessary. This paper focuses on the recycling of Lithium ion batteries using organic acids namely malic acid and citric acid obtained from fungi, namely ustilagotrichophora and Aspergillusniger. The batteries are leached with these organic acids and the precipitate of corresponding metals are obtained, which could be used for further manufacturing of batteries. A CAD model for the lithium ion battery recycling plant with safety measures to be followed is developed using AUTOCAD and its technical feasibility is discussed in this paper.