FREE4LIB

Feasible recovery of critical raw materials through a new circular ecosystem for a Li-Ion battery cross-value chain in Europe

FUNDACION CARTIF - Coordinator / ACCUREC / ALIENOREU / EUROBAT / AVL LIST GMBH / AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (CSIC) / ERION ENERGY / FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V. / FUNDACIO EURECAT / FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE RECERCA DE L'ENERGIA DE CATALUNYA (IREC) / FONDAZIONE BRUNO KESSLER / FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO SUI TRASPORTI E LA LOGISTICA / L'UREDERRA, FUNDACION PARA EL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO Y SOCIAL / MOV'EO / NESSTEC ENERJI VE YUZEY TEKNOLOJILERI SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI / POLITECNICO DI MILANO / SIG DE RAEE Y PILAS SOCIEDAD LIMITADA (RECYCLIA) / SAKARYA UNIVERSITESI / TORRECID SA / UNIVERSITAET GRAZ / Watt4Ever BV / AIMPLAS

Objectives

The overall objective of FREE4LIB will be achieved by accomplishing the following project 6 Scientific and Technological Objectives:
1. Develop 13 innovative technologies for recycling different Li-battery chemistries.
2. Develop 8 innovative technologies for recovered materials re-using and explore
options to harness non-reusable elements in other fields.
3. Develop 8 optimised unit solutions at pilot scale for maximizing re-using, re-purposing and reconditioning of different LIB chemistries and materials ensuring viability of the technologies
4. Design new Li-batteries based on Design for Recycling (DfR) approach.
5. Deployment of Battery Passport by analysing and evaluating data from LIBs.
6. Evaluation of environmental and socio-economic impacts, health risks and safety hazards of the new proposed process for material recovery through LCA/LCC and critical risks identification.

Description

FREE4LIB aims to develop at TRL 5-6 technologies to achieve 6 new sustainable and efficient processes to recycle end-of-life (EOL) LIBs delivering very innovative recycling solutions to reach highly efficient materials recovery (metal oxides, metals and polymers) improving the supply of secondary resources at EU level.
FREE4LIB also will deliver technologies to improve 3 processes aiming at metals and polymers re-using and electrode synthesis on the same value chain as secondary raw materials for re-manufacturing greener batteries, and it will study options to harness nonreusable elements in other fields. FREE4LIB will also deliver a methodology based on the Battery Passport principles to improve processes traceability.
Besides, 2 Open Platforms will be deployed: BP and Data-driven models for the process’s optimisation. At end, to validate and spread FREE4LIB: new LIBs will be assembled on battery packs and engagement activities with citizens, policymakers and battery stakeholder will be carried out, respectively.