by Global use of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) has seen a significant decline over the past four years. Some of which have resulted in an alarming number of battery failures. This effect contains hazardous substances, which necessitates the development of effective recycling methods. In the journal ChemElectroChem. Polish scientists have come up with an innovative solution to this problem. The researchers extracted carbon material from used LIB electrodes and subjected it to an acid extraction process to recover the precious metal. The results show that carbon materials, which contain small amounts of metals such as cobalt, are the focus of the study. The team aims to reuse these battery materials for catalytic processes. Especially for the production of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a basic chemical molecule required by many industries. Traditional large-scale production methods require high pressures, temperatures, and expensive catalysts. and toxic electrolytes. Dr. A.S. Light. Magdalena Warczak, project manager and lead author of the study
“The goal is to develop a more environmentally friendly method of producing hydrogen peroxide. It uses a catalyst derived from used lithium-ion batteries Electrochemical tests show that materials derived from used LIB batteries containing carbon and cobalt nanostructures have catalytic properties in oxygen reduction reactions. However, the catalytic properties depend on the composition and structure of the sample as very high This is influenced by the composition of the acebath used to clean the electrodes extracted from lithium-ion batteries. The team determined that all samples catalyze an oxygen reduction reaction to produce hydrogen peroxide. with a concentration 1-2 times higher than each otherd Technology.Hydrogen peroxide at a 3% concentration is sold in pharmacies as a disinfectant for wounds and inflammation, though its effectiveness for wound care is debatable. Solutions with concentrations of up to 15% are used as bleaches in household cleaning products and cosmetics, such as hair lighteners. A solution with around 30% concentration, known as hydrogen peroxide, is crucial in various industries, including chemical manufacturing (for peroxide synthesis and as an oxidant), pulp and paper and textiles (as a bleach), rubber (as a raw material), electronics and metal (as an etching agent), and food processing (as a biocidal substance).
Interestingly, hydrogen peroxide can also serve as an oxidizer for fuels, including rocket fuels. It first played this role in the 1940s, when it was used in the early rockets capable of crossing the conventional boundary of space. However, at that time, its concentrations did not exceed 80%, and technological limitations hindered the long-term missions.
In contrast, at high concentrations (98% or more), hydrogen peroxide is one of the most environmentally friendly propellants. Just a few weeks ago, it was used in this form for the first time in space flight, powering a suborbital rocket built at the Lukasiewicz Institute of Aviation in Warsaw.
Future research will focus on enhancing the efficiency of electrochemical reactions to a level suitable for future industrial use. Future plans also include exploring four-electron reduction for potential applications in fuel cells.
The team includes researchers from Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology (PBS), the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the PAS in Warsaw, and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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