BASF Research Press Conference 2020

BASF Research Press Conference

on December 10, 2020

Battery recycling:
Closing the loop in e-mobility
Dr. Kerstin Schierle-Arndt
Vice President Research Inorganic Materials and Synthesis

BASF Research Press Conference 2020

1.6 million metric tons of end-of-life battery packs

will be available in 2030
WE ARE HERE: BASF CAM Available used battery packs per year
(cathode active materials)

Electrolytes Battery cell Battery pack million metric tons

1.6
Anode 1.5
.
1,5

1.2
Separator 1.0
.
1,0
0.8
0.7
0.6
.
0,5
0.3 0.3 0.3
0.2
0.1 0.1
.
0,0
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030

>160 kt nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium can be “mined” from used battery packs in 2030.
By 2025 significant amounts of off-spec cells and CAM will be available.
Source: BloombergNEF / Bloomberg Businessweek, January 2019, “kt” = thousand metric tons,
2

1
BASF Research Press Conference 2020

The new value chain for electric vehicles

– recycling closes the loop
Creating a circular economy for battery materials
Anode
Cathode
Metal mining &
active Battery cell
refining
material Cathode

Lithium-ion
Metal extraction
battery

“black mass”

Collection and
We aim to recycle used shredding of used Electric vehicle
batteries as well as waste battery packs
streams from all process
steps and to create a
“zero-waste” value chain.

BASF Research Press Conference 2020

“Black mass*” – a new resource

 Recycling of lithium-ion batteries Element Content

(LIB) starts with mechanical weight %**
operations (e.g., dismantling, Ni 20
shredding, sorting). valuable Co 6
 This yields “black mass”. metals Mn 6
 It mainly consists of the Li 3.5
electrode active material. C 40
F 3
 Black mass contains valuable
P 0.5
Co, Ni, Mn, Li, but also carbon
Cu 2
and many contaminants.
Al 2
Fe 1
Zn 0.1
Chemical treatments are needed to extract Ca 0.1
the valuable metals from “black mass”.
* Black mass = technical term for recycled electrode active materials
** Illustrative values, composition can strongly vary
4

2
BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Processing “black mass”

Comparison of main technologies

Pyrometallurgy Hydrometallurgy

 High recovery rates for nickel, cobalt and copper  High recovery rates for cobalt, nickel and copper
 Graphite and solvents burned, providing much  Lithium is recycled
of the process energy  Option for manganese and graphite recycling
 Mature technology  Moderate temperature range
 High energy intensity (around 1,500°C) and CO2  High investment required
footprint  Inflexible process
 Loss of lithium in slag – recovery from slag is  High amounts of by-products, waste
expensive

Both technologies call for improvements towards lithium yield,

by-products or investment cost.

BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Deep dive hydrometallurgy

Illustrative process

“black mass” H2SO4 H2SO4

30 kt H2O2 solvent CaO NaOH solvent Na2CO3

around
Heat Cu solvent Al, Fe, Zn Ni, Co solvent Li-recovery and 10 kt
Leaching
treatment extraction precipitation extraction purification Na2SO4
waste

Off-gas Carbon CuSO4 Al(OH)3,

10 kt NCM 1 kt Li
organics, (removal via Fe(OH)3,
in form of Ni, in form of
fluoride filtration) Zn(OH)2,
Co, (Mn) sulfate Li2CO3
CaSO4
Characteristics
 Well established processes in mining industry up to nickel and cobalt recovery to build on
 Inflexible process – lithium is always recycled at the end and comes as lithium carbonate only
 Significant amounts of sodium sulfate waste by-product

The process cuts CO2 emissions by -25% vs. CAM* materials based on mining.
*CAM = cathode active materials
6

3
BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Deep dive lithium salts

 State of the art lithium recycling produces lithium carbonate

along with significant amounts of sodium sulfate waste.
 However, today’s CAM material syntheses require lithium hydroxide
and not lithium carbonate.
 Lithium carbonate can be transformed into lithium hydroxide –
but this increases CO2 footprint.

Our approach
 Avoiding process steps and waste – direct lithium hydroxide process
 Flexibilize the value chain – lithium hydroxide first

Lithium recovery holds the biggest innovation potential

in the value chain.

BASF Research Press Conference 2020

New BASF process scheme avoids waste

Step 1: Removal of lithium from “black mass” Step 2: Extraction of Ni, Co

“black mass” H2SO4 H2SO4
30 kt H2O2 CaO NaOH solvent

Smart Selective Li-leaching Ni, Co solvent

Leaching
Leaching Purification
lithium release and purification extraction

1 kt Li Carbon CuSO4, Al(OH)3, 10 kt NCM

in form of (removal via Fe(OH)3, in form of Ni,
Benefits of LiOH first: LiOH*H2O filtration) Zn(OH)2, CuSO4 Co, (Mn) sulfate
 avoids sodium sulfate by-product
 allows direct access to lithium hydroxide
 cuts investment cost in the value chain

The new BASF process scheme reduces CO2 footprint and is flexible.

4
BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Deep dive lithium purification

Impurities that need to be removed

“black mass”
30 kt

Smart Li-recovery
lithium release and purification

BASF Research Press Conference 2020

New BASF purification scheme

Recovering battery-grade lithium from “black mass”

Lithium ex Ion exchange / Purified

“black mass” Crystallization adsorption lithium

Cl Plateau above Cl
Sulfate battery grade Sulfate
specifications

+
Ca Ca
Na Na
Al Al
K K
F F

Off spec. works for most ions, … but not for fluoride  proof of concept In spec.
Not specified (=removed)
in lab achieved

Smart combination of purification technologies needed to extract

battery-grade lithium from “black mass”.

10

5
BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Recycling of battery raw materials

Challenges tackled and status of BASF process development at a glance

Challenges BASF approach

 Efficient and straight forward
lithium recycling needed
 Lithium
process
hydroxide first

 Yield insufficient
 high variable cost
 Proprietary selective
leaching additives

 Insufficient Li quality
 low value
! Combine complementary
purification technologies
 upscaling ongoing

BASF innovates to reduce CO2 footprint of lithium recycling to close the loop
for battery materials.

11

BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Creating a circular battery value chain in Europe

Anode
Cathode
Metal mining &
active Battery cell
refining
material Cathode

Lithium-ion
Metal extraction
battery

“black mass”
Collection and
shredding of used Electric vehicle
battery packs

Key to success are partnerships and innovative recycling technologies.

12

6
BASF Research Press Conference 2020

Closing the loop in e-mobility

Next steps

2022
2021 Start up pilot plant

2020 Start of pilot plant construction First battery-grade LiOH from

pilot plant
 Pilot trials Process fine tuning

 Flowsheet development

Förderkennzeichen
16BZF101A/B

BASF innovations will enable a new circular value chain in Europe.

13