Previous methods of recovering the metal cobalt from lithium-ion batteries have required very high temperatures, consuming large amounts of energy.
Since 2013, the researcher Subramanian Suriyanarayanan, together with professor Ian Nicholls at the Linnaeus University in Kalmar, has tried to find a more environmentally friendly way.
And now they consider themselves to have succeeded.
- A few years ago, we developed a new class of liquids in our lab.
These fluids consist of two components, one a derivative of urea and the other a derivative of acetic acid, says Professor Ian Nicholls.
From 1400 to 180 degrees
With the help of substances in urine and vinegar, the temperature in the process can be brought down, from well over 1000 degrees to the more energy-efficient 180 degrees.
Lower temperatures consume less energy and leave a smaller environmental footprint.
- For extraction, the metal must stay in the liquid for 48 hours, to get a 97 percent yield, says chemical researcher Subramanian Suriyanarayanan.
Cobalt, a sought-after metal, is used in everything from mobile phones to electric cars.
An efficient recycling method is needed to continue producing products containing cobalt in the future.
- Cobalt is a limited resource and society's need for it is only increasing.
Recycling cobalt is a necessity, says Professor Ian Nicholls.