The team at Montanuni Leoben, led by Eva Gerold, has developed a groundbreaking approach to the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. Through the SeLiReco process, which utilizes citric acid as a solvent, valuable metals such as cobalt, lithium, and nickel can be efficiently extracted. This method earned the prestigious Energy Globe Styria Award as well as the Metal of Honor in Gold at the Energy Austria Awards, providing a rapid metal recovery within just six to eight hours. In light of the new EU Battery Directive mandating recycling quotas, this advancement represents a significant contribution to resource-efficient circular economy.
In an interview with “Just-Magazin” Eva Gerold elaborates further on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries and explains how citric acid, of all things, became the key to metal dissolution.
Read the interview here: Citric Acid Aids in Battery Recycling
